Mascarpone Fig Gelato
I had delicious gelato when I was in Croatia and Switzerland this past summer. My absolute favorite was from Luka Ice Cream & Cakes in Split, Croatia. It was the best gelato I've ever had. It was so good that I ate there almost everyday. It was also conveniently a few minutes walk from my airbnb.
The one flavor I kept on going back to was their mascarpone fig gelato. Fig was abundant in Croatia, so it was no surprise that most gelato shops served some version of fig and cheese gelato.
Upon returning to the US, I had a hard time finding good fig gelato. Naturally, I tried to make my own. I only made ice-cream a few times before embarking on this new gelato adventure, so the process was a bit intimidating.
This recipe has yet to fail me. Using an ice-cream maker, it takes me about 25 minutes from beginning to end and I have fresh gelato to devour. It's pretty creamy from the mascarpone cheese, not very sweet, and tastes light.
Making this gelato in an ice-cream maker works best. You can make it by hand, but it would be more tedious and it doesn't come out as creamy. I'll explain both methods below. It's also a good gelato base for different flavors. I've only made it with fig spread and durian. I'd imagine that it would be phenomenal with strawberries, peaches, and other fruits. Just chop or puree 1/4-1/2 cup of them first, depending on how strong you want the flavor to be and adjust the sugar.
Mascarpone Fig Gelato
Makes about a pint plus some for you to eat right away :)
Ingredients:
1.5 cups whole milk
8 oz mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp fig spread/jam*
*Instead of fig, you can use other types of jam or fresh fruit. I recommend keeping the lemon zest and juice unless it really won't go well with your fruit.
Directions:
Keep the milk and mascarpone cheese in the fridge until you're ready to make your ice-cream. When ready, put them in a bowl and break the mascarpone cheese with a spoon or spatula for a bit then use a whisk to mix them until well combined. Then, add the rest of the ingredients.
Pour your gelato mixture into your ice-cream maker and follow your maker's instructions. I use the Kitchenaid Ice-Cream Maker attachment and it works really well. Just make sure you freeze the bowl for at least 24 hours. Let it churn for about 20 minutes. You can have the gelato as soft-serve right away or freeze it. It'll keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks. It's best to let it sit in the fridge for 30-45 minutes before eating.
If you don't have an ice-cream maker, pour the mixture into a metal or plastic container and put it in the freezer. After every hour for four hours, take it out and whisk it well. Remember to scrape the sides. This will prevent the gelato from getting too icy. From my experience, it won't be as creamy but it still tastes good.