Chocolate Almond Praline Gelato

A tradition Gelato easily made at home using the traditional French method for Praline. This is my own recipe.

• Ready In: 8 hrs
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 3 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 5  egg yolks
• 1  cup  cream
• 1⁄2 cup milk
• 165  g caster sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
•  vanilla liqueur (optional)
• 50  ml water
• 50  g  almonds
• 250  g  milk chocolate or 250  g dark chocolate

Directions

1. In a MixMaster, Or food processor with the whisk attachement(Preferably mix master) Add the egg yolks and 115g of the caster sugar, mix until light and fluffy.
2. Add the cream and milk to a small saucepan along with the vanilla paste, Place it on a low-medium heat until it simmers, it should take 3-4 minutes, Stir occasionally.
3. While whipping the eggs, Slowly pour in 1tbsp of the boiling cream mix at a time, It will thicken slightly,
4. When it is all combined pour it back into the saucepan and simmer on a low heat until it starts to boil, Small lumps will begin to form, this is the egg yolk. Remove it from the heat and pour it back into the mixer
5. Blend on the highest speed for 2 minutes, This will whip in air, and break any clumps of egg and turn it into a smooth custard texture.
6. While the Custard mix is whipping, Melt the chocolate in a microwave for 1min at 80% power, take it out and stir it, you may need to do this one or two more times until it is completely smooth, Be careful not to let it burn.
7. While still mixing the custard, slowly pour in the chocolate and blend for one more minute.
8. Cover the mixing bowl in cling film then place it in the freezer.
9. Cook the almonds in the oven for 5 minutes at 150C, Dont let them burn Then place them on nonstick paper and roughly chop them.
10. In a small nonstick frying pan, Add the remaining 50g of caster sugar, and 50ml of water, Place on a small burner with high heat,
11. This is best measured using a candy or meat themometer, Failing that common sense will work.
12. Stir the mixture as the sugar dissolves, The temperature will steadily rise to 100C, It will then stall as the water boils out, It will then quickly rise again.
13. it will start to brown around the edges, stir gently, after 1 more minute when the sugar should hit 155C remove it from the heat, it should be a uniform caramel brown colour, pour it over the chopped nuts and let it cool and harden for 20 minutes.
14. Lightly dice the sugar mix and then put it in the food processor, Traditionally Praline is a very fine powder, Personally for this recipe I like a mix of fine powder with a few small chunks of almonds and toffee, The difference is just in how long you blend it for.
15. Remove the Ice cream from the freezer and mix in the chopped nuts, and 1tbsp of Almond Liquer, Mix thouroughly and return to the freezer.
16. Every hour for the next 6 hours you will need to remove it from the freezer, blend it with a whisk (Or whisk attachment) This breaks up any ice crystals forming and makes the mixture light and smooth.
17. After the 6 hours it should nearly be solid, scoop it into airtight containers and place it in the freezer for 4 more hours, this keeps for about a month.