Bronte Pistachio Gelato

La storia di questo piatto

Bronte, on the black volcanic slopes of Etna in Sicily, gives the world its pistachio, a small green gem that lends this gelato its soul. Here the nut becomes silk: fresh milk, cream and egg yolk wrap it in a creaminess that cradles you from the very first spoonful.

Ingredienti

• 200 g Shelled Bronte PDO pistachios
• 250 ml Fresh whole milk
• 250 ml High-quality fresh cream
• 4 pieces Egg yolks
• 80 g Granulated sugar
• 15 g Powdered glucose
• 2 g Natural stabilizer (guar gum)
• 1 pinch Fine salt

Preparazione

1. Blanch the pistachios in boiling water for 1 minute, drain and rub them in a kitchen towel to remove the skins: the green of the gelato will be brighter. Dry them well. For a deeper flavour, toast them lightly in a pan over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring, without letting them darken (or they become bitter), then let them cool on a plate.
2. Blend the pistachios with 100 ml of milk, 20 g of sugar (taken from the 80 g) and the pinch of fine salt, in 30-40 second pulses with short pauses so the blender does not overheat. Continue for 3-5 minutes, scraping the sides, until you obtain a fine, smooth cream. If it remains grainy, pass it through a sieve, pressing with a spatula.
3. Whisk the yolks with 50 g of sugar using an electric whisk for 3-4 minutes, until you have a pale, frothy and voluminous mixture that leaves a visible ribbon on the surface for a second when you lift the whisk. The remaining 10 g of sugar is for the guar gum (next step).
4. Dry-mix the 2 g of guar gum with the remaining 10 g of sugar to avoid lumps. Pour the remaining 150 ml of milk and the cream into the saucepan, add the sugar and guar mixture while whisking, and heat over medium heat until small bubbles appear at the edges (about 80°C), without boiling. Pour the hot liquid onto the whisked yolks in a thin stream, whisking constantly, until fully incorporated.
5. Return the mixture to the clean saucepan and cook in a gentle bain-marie (the base must not touch the water, which should barely simmer), stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, for 8-10 minutes. Cook to 82-84°C measured with a thermometer: the cream should coat the spoon and, when you run a finger across the back, the line should stay clean. This temperature ensures the yolks are pasteurized; do not exceed 85°C to avoid curdling. Remove from the heat immediately.
6. Strain the hot cream immediately through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Add the glucose and dissolve it by whisking until no granules remain, then incorporate the pistachio paste and mix vigorously until the colour is uniform, with no streaks.
7. Cool the base quickly: immerse the bowl in an ice-water bath (add a handful of coarse salt to lower the temperature further) and stir for about 10 minutes, until it drops below 20°C.
8. Transfer the base to a container, cover the surface directly with cling film and refrigerate at 4°C for 6-12 hours (preferably overnight): the base becomes denser and the flavours blend.
9. Pour the well-chilled base into the ice cream machine and churn for 25-30 minutes, until you obtain a creamy, firm consistency at about -8/-10°C, when the dasher meets clear resistance.
10. Transfer the gelato to a clean, chilled container and freeze at -18°C for at least 2 hours. Before serving, let it stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to soften.