Peter Pratt's Maple Syrup Gelato

Meet Jonathan Pratt, owner of , an award-winning American regional restaurant in Yorktown, NY.  From time to time Jonathan shares his culinary expertise to a full house of eager food lovers by presenting a cooking demonstration at the nearby .

One of his presentations featured a surprising two-ingredient dessert—maple syrup gelato, the sap of which was tapped from his own maple trees.  The luscious flavor and mouthfeel sent me home to get out my ice cream maker and check my supply of maple syrup.  The procedure couldn’t be easier.

I altered Jon’s recipe by adding a cornstarch slurry and vodka to prevent the gelato from melting too quickly yet keeping it soft.  (Makes 3/4 quart)

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups whole milk

2 T cornstarch

¾ cup pure maple syrup

2 T vodka (not flavored)

Procedure

1. Mix ¼ cup milk with 2 T cornstarch to form a slurry.  Set aside.

2. Heat 2 cups milk just to the boiling point. 

3. Add cornstarch slurry and whisk until slightly thickened. Take off heat. 

4. Slowly stir in maple syrup until well blended. 

5. Pour into a bowl and cool to room temperature. 

6. Place in refrigerator until well chilled (preferably overnight). 

7. Stir in 2 T vodka and churn in ice cream maker according to directions.

8. Transfer to a freezer container when thick and creamy and place in freezer.  The gelato is best eaten within one or two days, but if you manage to keep it a few days longer, the vodka will prevent it from getting hard.

Maple syrup and raspberry gelato photos by Phyllis Kirigin

Strawberry and Orange gelato photos by Bill Brady