Kahlúa Espresso Gelato

Kahlúa Espresso Gelato can be equated to the tastiest, richest and creamiest latte you've ever had -- with a splash of Kahlúa and a touch of chocolate.

I was introduced to the flavor of coffee at a very early age. And no, not in a mug with half and half!

Rather, in a pint-sized container of Häagen-Dazs coffee ice cream. It was my dad's favorite flavor, and it was always in the freezer.

I've loved all sorts of coffee desserts ever since. Espresso gelato is definitely one of my biggest hits when it comes to this department.

This gelato is intensely rich and creamy, and every bite has bits of crushed chocolate-covered espresso beans. I know, right!? So good!

Making ice cream and gelato from scratch takes time -- mostly patience during the cooling and freezing stages. It's well worth the wait, and the process is beautiful and fun.

About the Key Ingredients

• milk - I use 1% and the results are amazing. You can also use 2% or whole milk.
• heavy cream - The cream helps give the gelato a rich and creamy texture and silky mouthfeel.
• Kahlúa - Kahlúa is a coffee-flavored liqueur, and when it's added to a recipe with espresso or coffee, it intensifies their flavors.
• instant espresso powder - My favorite is Medaglia D' Oro. It's an essential pantry item in my house.
• pure vanilla extract - Vanilla extract rounds out, and enhances the overall flavor of the finished gelato.
• egg yolks - Along with the cream, the yolks add to the richness of the gelato.
• dark chocolate-covered espresso beans - I always use Trader Joe's brand. They're delicious, a good deal, and they crush perfectly for this recipe. You can use any brand you like - there are many to choose from.

How to Make it

Note that you should make the base for the gelato at least a day ahead. This allows the flavors to meld together before churning.

- Add the milk, cream, ⅓ cup of the sugar, espresso, kahlúa and vanilla to a medium-sized saucepan. Place it over medium heat and stir to blend. Cook just until the sugar has completely dissolved, and it's beginning to simmer, a few minutes. Turn off the heat and leave it on the stove.

- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks with the remaining ¼ cup of sugar. Use an electric mixer on a high speed to blend until the eggs become thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes. (You can of course also use a hand whisk -- it will just take longer and use a lot of muscle.)

- Pour about 1 cup of the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture and immediately stir to blend. Then add this mixture back into the saucepan, and stirring continuously, over low heat, cook until it becomes a beautiful custard, about 15 minutes. When it's ready, it should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Set it aside to cool.

* Pro Tip * Timing and stirring are both very important when you're making the custard. Stirring should be near constant, and remove it from the heat as soon as it's thick and smooth -- usually it's when I see the first couple of bubbles from the heat. If it goes too long it might curdle.

- Once it's at room temperature, cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and ideally overnight. (Pouring it into a container with a tightly fitted lid is ideal.)

- Crush the chocolate covered espresso beans. You can use a spice/coffee grinder or add them to a heavy-duty, Ziploc bag, remove the air, seal it, and use a meat mallet or the bottom of a small sauté pan to crush them. Set aside.

- Transfer the custard base to an ice-cream maker, and freeze according to the machine's instructions.

- Once the gelato is ready, add the crushed chocolate-covered espresso beans, and turn the machine on for another churn or two, just to mix them in. Serve immediately if you want it very soft, or place it in the freezer in an airtight container until you're ready to serve. (About 6 hours for a relatively firm scoop.)

* ICE CREAM MAKER TIPS * 1) Always read the manual for your ice cream machine before you begin. Most ice cream machine bowls take at least 12 hours to completely freeze. Put your bowl in the freezer the night before you want to make the ice cream. 2) If you want to double the recipe, you'll likely have to do this in two batches, unless you have a particularly large ice cream machine. An average-sized machine usually holds 1½ quarts.

Variations

If you're someone who loves a pure velvety gelato without anything mixed into it, skip the chocolate-covered espresso beans. Or if you'd like, use mini chocolate chips or shaved chocolate instead.

Storing Homemade Gelato (and Ice Cream)

• These airtight containers are generally the best option for storing gelato.
• You can also reuse plastic pint gelato containers with screw-on lids.
• Cake and loaf pans are also a great option. If you go this route, press a piece of plastic wrap, wax paper, or parchment paper directly onto the surface of the gelato, then wrap the whole thing with plastic wrap.
• The gelato will be at its best within the first month of freezing, though it'll keep for a few months or so.

What is the Difference Between Gelato and Ice Cream?

First, this recipe is my version of gelato and it is gelato, however, it's not necessarily an authentic gelato recipe.

• Air. Gelato is churned much more slowly than ice cream, and as a result has less air incorporated into it. This makes it more dense.
• Temperature. Typically, gelato is served at a slightly warmer temperature. This naturally makes it a bit softer than ice cream.
• Fat. Gelato also typically has less fat than ice cream, making the flavor more intense. Gelato usually has a 4-6% fat content, while it's said that ice cream isn't sold with anything less than 10%.

More Must-Try Dessert Recipes with Espresso

I hope you, your family, and friends, find this espresso gelato as amazing as I do!

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