Lemon Lime Gelato

My family and I continually count our blessings that we live in the neighborhood we do. With the summer sunshine bringing us all out of our houses, spontaneous gatherings and wine with friends on the porch is always a treat.  Greg, my neighbor across the street, has positively spoiled us all with his new found love of gelato.  Luckily he's found the need to experiment, and we are all happy taste testers to his dazzling frozen creations.

Yesterday's cheesecake post highlighting our recent foodie event, a Progressive Dinner Party, has me thankful once again for our neighborhood.  Not only was I surrounded by close friends, but fantastic food filled our tables.  With our dinner party theme of "summer travels" I was treated to the tastes of Spain and France for appetizers, the Caribbean and local San Diego goodness for the main course, and Greg's brilliant Italian Lemon Lime Gelato for dessert.

Greg has kindly offered to share his foray into the world of Gelato with us all as a Guest Poster here on Liv Life.  Our fingers are crossed that he will return soon with a new flavor... I've heard through the grapevine that he has a bag of Blood Oranges waiting for treatment!  Without further ado, I give you Greg...   

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You know you're approaching citrus groves long before you arrive at the  hardscrabble hillsides of Italy's Amalfi Coast.  Just follow your nose!  Springtime, the fragrant lemon blossoms announce the orchard kilometers before you see their delicate white flowers.  And as the summer takes hold, plump yellow fruit hangs from every branch, clustered against an unspeakably green canopy of leaves.  You have arrived at the renowned orchards that feed the world's appetite for Limoncello.  The lemons are bright and heavy.  And, oh yes, incredibly delicious.

Italian Geletaria - Florence, Italy

A year ago I traveled through Italy and fell in love with the country, its people, and most importantly, its food!  Textures, subtleties, flavor and color... all of the wonderful and delicious nuances of Italian cuisine transformed my visit into a journey of discovery.  And one passion I couldn't shake, even when I'd been Stateside for months, was my newfound love for gelato.

Cold, light, bursting with flavor.  Not the heavy notes of ice cream.  Not the icy smoothness of sherbet.  No, gelato has a life of its own.  Barely below the freezing point and lighter than other frozen confections, gelato is the Prince of Desserts.  The perfect complement to cake, cookies, and anything else you want to class up with a frozen treat.  Or simply pile it high in an icy bowl and have at it!

And my favorite recipe is a challenge to any palette looking for a citrus bouquet with a crisp, tart finish.   My Lemon Lime Gelato combines a chorus of sweet icy delight with the honest simplicity of this citric pairing.  Expect "Bold" and enjoy the tracings of zest and fresh juices that give this gelato its character!

Lemon Lime Gelato
Makes About 4 Quarts

Printer Friendly Recipe

12 Lemons, Zested
12 - 18 Medium Limes, Zested
2 1/4 cups fresh lemon juice
2 1/4 cups fresh lime juice
6 Tbsp. of Lemon Zest
6 Tbsp. of Lime Zest
4 cups of water
6 to 8 cups of Granulated Sugar (Suit to Your Tangy Preference)
6 cups of heavy cream

Directions:
In a large saucepan, combine 5 Tbsp. of Lemon zest, 5 Tbsp. of Lime zest, the lemon and lime juice, sugar and the water.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Allow to simmer for about 4 minutes until the sugar dissolves.  Strain and set aside to cool.

Mix the citrus syrup with the heavy cream.

Transfer into an ice-cream maker and follow manufacturer's directions.  As the mixture begins to firm up, add 1 Tablespoon of Lemon zest and 1 Tablespoon of Lime zest.  Continue churning until the ice cream maker labors.

Turn into medium Tupperware bowls with lids and freeze at least 24 hours.

Enjoy!
          -- Greg Dowell, Carlsbad, CA