Gelato- Italian for icecream

Yet another delicioso reipe from my Mediterranean cookbook- Chocolate Gelato! It is oh so easy- I made two batches in less than 30 minutes.

Makes 3 cups. Ingredients:

3 tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 sugar
2 1/2 c. milk
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Combine cocoa powder and half of the sugar into a small bowl. Stir in just enough milk (about 1/4 c.) to form a paste, whisking completely.

2. Place the rest of the milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Slowly pour about 1/4 cup hot milk into the paste, whisking constantly. (This is called tempering; this ensures the chocolate paste doesn't burn when you pour it into the pot)

3. Stir the paste into the boiled milk and continue cooking on a lower heat. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat.

4. Beat together the egg yolks and remaining sugar until pale in color.
Add a few tbs of the hot milk mixture into the yolks, beating constantly. (tempering in this situation keeps the eggs from scrambling) (I used a basting tube to drop a few tbs in)
Add the yolk mixture into the pot.

5. Return the pan to heat and cook on medium until temperature reaches 185 deg. on a candy thermometer.
Remove from heat

6. strain the mixture into a large bowl using a fine mesh strainer.