Dessert

Gingerbread gelato

Name: Gingerbread gelato recipe
Yield: Makes 1 litre (35fl oz/4 cups)
Ingredients: 450ml (16fl oz/scant 2 cups) double (heavy) cream; 480ml (16½fl oz/2 cups) whole milk; 165g (6oz/generous ¾ cup) dark brown sugar; 80g (2¾oz/¼ cup) black treacle or molasses; 115g (4oz/1 cup) fresh root ginger, peeled and cut into 2cm (¾in) pieces; 7 egg yolks; 20.00 ml vanilla extract; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg; 1/4 tsp ground cloves; Pinch of salt; 1–2 gingerbread biscuits, crushed; 115g (4oz/1 cup) stem ginger, chopped (optional); Gingerbread biscuits of your choice, to decorate

Rate now

Jump to recipe

by Helena Garcia

CHEF

Oct 11, 2023

"Gingerbread makes for a fantastic ice cream flavour. Here, I have served it quite simply in vintage Babycham glasses, decorated with little gingerbread fawns, but I have also successfully used this gelato to make a bombe Alaska, covered in torched meringue, for another showstopping Christmas dessert." – Helena Garcia. This is an edited extract from The Book of Gingerbread by Helena Garcia, published by Quadrille, RRP $34.99. Photography by Patricia Niven.

450ml (16fl oz/scant 2 cups) double (heavy) cream
480ml (16½fl oz/2 cups) whole milk
165g (6oz/generous ¾ cup) dark brown sugar
80g (2¾oz/¼ cup) black treacle or molasses
115g (4oz/1 cup) fresh root ginger, peeled and cut into 2cm (¾in) pieces
7 egg yolks
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
Pinch of salt
1–2 gingerbread biscuits, crushed
115g (4oz/1 cup) stem ginger, chopped (optional)
Gingerbread biscuits of your choice, to decorate

Method

1.

In a large saucepan over a medium heat, whisk together the cream, milk, sugar, treacle and chopped fresh ginger until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat before it comes to the boil. Leave to cool for 30–40 minutes.
2.

Pour the infused cream mixture through a sieve to remove the ginger and set aside.
3.

In a large saucepan over a low heat, combine the egg yolks, vanilla, spices and salt, then slowly add the cream mixture while whisking constantly. Keep whisking until it forms a custard that covers the back of a wooden spoon.
4.

Transfer to a bowl and cover the surface of the custard with clingfilm (plastic wrap) to avoid a skin forming. Refrigerate overnight.
5.

The next day, pour the custard into an ice-cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Add the crushed gingerbread and stem ginger, if using, 2–3 minutes before the machine stops churning.
6.

Decorate with gingerbread biscuits of your choice.