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–+ servings
pomegranate gelato in a pretty blue and green bowl
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4.67 from 3 votes

Gourmet Magazine's Pomegranate Gelato

Gourmet magazine's pomegranate gelato is strawberry ice cream's sultry, brooding cousin. This recipe makes a little less than a quart of gelato.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Additional Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 35 minutes
Course: Frozen Desserts
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: pomegranate gelato
Servings: 8
Calories: 219kcal
Author: Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (237 ml) heavy cream
  • 1 cup (237 ml) whole milk
  • ¾ cup (133 grams) sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons (12 grams) cornstarch
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 ¼ cups (296 ml) bottled pomegranate juice
  • ⅓ cup (79 ml) creme de cassis, pomegranate liqueur or fruit dessert wine
  • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

  • In a medium pot, whisk together the cream, milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
  • Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally.
  • When the mixture boils, reduce the heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook, whisking constantly, for two minutes.
  • Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl and add the pomegranate juice, liqueur or wine and lemon juice. Whisk to combine thoroughly.
  • Chill the mixture for at least an hour, either in the fridge or by carefully setting the bowl into a larger bowl of ice water and stirring occasionally.
  • Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. The gelato will be very soft (although perfectly edible!) at this point and will firm up if transferred to an airtight container and placed in the freezer for a few hours.

Notes

  1. A combination of heavy cream and whole milk creates a just-rich-enough texture that's not overwhelming.
  2. Bottled pomegranate juice makes things easy and accessible.
  3. Crème de cassis is blackcurrant liqueur. It's widely available, but if you can't find it or don't have an open bottle, you can substitute pomegranate liqueur or a fruity dessert wine.
  4. Cornstarch imparts both a bit of thickness and a bit of silkiness to the mixture.
  5. The texture of homemade gelato is best when made and consumed within a few days. You have a few options for making ahead. You can make the mixture up to a week in advance and refrigerate, then churn just before serving for a softer consistency or three to four hours before serving for a firmer scoop. Or churn up to three days in advance and let sit for five minutes at room temperature before scooping.
I first published this recipe here in 2009. I've updated the post for clarity, but the recipe remains the same. Adapted from Gourmet Magazine September, 2006.

Nutrition

Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.6g | Protein: 1.9g | Fat: 11.8g | Fiber: 0.1g