Easy Gelato Stuffed Bomboloni

Easy Gelato Bomboloni

Follow the lead of trendy cafés and frozen treat purveyors by stuffing these delicious pastries with scoops of store-bought gelato or ice cream. When you’re preparing a big festive menu for a crowd, it’s good to have an easy dessert up your sleeve so you can finish the evening by spending a little extra time with friends and family. Though this concept is incredibly easy to pull off, it’s important to put some advance thinking into the ingredients. Arrange for a range of pastel-coloured options so you have a platter that showcases the colourful palette of spring. Make it fun and customizable by offering different toppings.
Ingredients:
20 mini or 10 large donuts, such as stuffed Italian-style bomboloni or Polish-style paczki or 5 plain or flavoured croissants, or a mix of pastries (see TIP)
2 to 4 pints of gelato, preferably a mix of flavours and colours, such as lavender, pistachio, salted caramel, chocolate, strawberry or cherry

Directions:

For smaller donuts, slice in half, making sure not to cut all the way through. Cut larger donuts in half, and then slice. If using croissants, slice in half lengthwise so you have two cone-shaped pieces. Using a small, serrated knife, cut and shape a little hole directly into the fluffy centre of paczki or croissants, if using, making room for a scoop of gelato. (You won’t need to do this for filled donuts as there will already be room for the gelato.) You can cut the pastries a few hours ahead of time, but if you do, be sure to wrap them tightly in plastic after slicing.

When ready to serve, fill each pastry with one or two scoops of gelato and sprinkle with toppings, if you like. This easy dessert really shines if you use a mix of pastries, gelato flavours and toppings so guests can choose their favourites. Create combinations such as donuts stuffed with chocolate gelato and studded with candied lemon, or filled with cherry gelato and rainbow sprinkles, or pistachio gelato and toasted pistachios.    Serves 10

TIP Using filled donuts adds another layer of flavor, but if you’d prefer plain, order ahead from your local bakery, donut shop or grocery store. When a guest offers to bring something, ask them to pick up the donuts on their way. Freshness is essential here, and this way you can concentrate on preparing the rest of your menu.

Gianduja Gelato ~ Nicole Gelato Ice Cream

Gianduja Gelato

Nicole Gelato

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted

1 cup whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

3/4 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon coats salt

4 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped

3 large egg yolks

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Rub the hazelnuts in a towel to remove as much of the skin as possible, the roughly chop them in a blender or food processor.

Warm the milk with 1 cup of the cream, sugar, and salt in a saucepan.  Once warm, remove from the heat and add the chopped hazelnuts.  Cover and steep for 1 hour at room temp.

Put the milk chocolate pieces in a large bowl.  Heat the remaining 1 cup cream in a medium saucepan until it just begins to boil  Pour it over thee milk chocolate pieces and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth.  Set a mesh strainer over the top.

Pour the hazelnut infused milk through a strainer into a medium saucepan, squeezing the nuts firmly with your hands to extract as much of the flavorful liquid as possible.  Discard the hazelnuts.

Rewarm the hazelnut infused mixture.  In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks.  Slowly pour the warm hazelnut mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heat proof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula.  Pour the custard through the strainer and stir into the milk chocolate mixture.  Add the vanilla and stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufactures directions.  

The Perfect Scoop  pg.47