Sweet Corn Gelato

TIPS FOR MAKING GELATO:

• Use whole milk - Cream tends to coat the tongue, which can dull the taste buds to the flavor of other ingredients. Whole milk allows the taste buds to appreciate cleaner and more vibrant flavors.
• Use overly ripe fruit - Overly ripe fruit (bruised peaches, soft and shriveling cherries, etc.) provides intense fruit flavor in gelatos.
• Under-churn the base - Gelato is more dense, with less air whipped into it than ice cream. Stop the ice cream machine when the mix looks like a thick custard and then freeze.

This gelato is best served the day it is made.

Lynn Rossetto Kasper discusses gelato with Mario Batali on The Splendid Table

Ingredients:
3 ears sweet corn, preferably white, husked
3 1/2 cups milk, plus more if needed
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
8 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon salt

Preparing the gelato:
Slice the kernels off the corncobs, reserving the cobs. Break each cob into 2 or 3 pieces.

Bring the milk to a simmer in a large saucepan. Add the corn kernels and cobs, remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 45 minutes.

Remove the corncobs from the milk and discard. Use an immersion blender to buzz the milk and corn to break up the kernels; or transfer the milk and corn to a regular blender, in batches, and blend to break up the kernels. Strain through a coarse strainer into a bowl (discard the remaining corn mush). Measure the milk and add more if necessary to make 3 1/2 cups.

Combine the milk, cream, and 1 1/4 cups of the sugar in a large heavy-bottomed sauce- pan and bring just to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and the salt together in a medium heatproof bowl. Gradually whisk in 1 cup of the hot milk mixture, then return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula or a wooden spoon, until the custard registers 185 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.

Immediately strain the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl and chill over an ice bath, stirring occasionally, until cold. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or, preferably, overnight.

Freeze the gelato in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Pack into a freezer container and freeze for at least 1 hour before serving.

Makes 5 cups