Inghetata perfecta (The perfect ice cream)

Scroll down for English recipe

De ani de zile sunt in cautarea inghetatei perfecte. Pana acum am aflat ca 60% din reusita sta intr-o smantana buna. Destul de grasa pentru ca batuta sa se intareasca. Dar nu exagerat de grasa, pentru a nu face inghetata gretoasa. Restul de 40% sta in celelate ingrediente folosite.
Dupa cate am citit eu prin carti si internet, nu sunt singura in cautarile mele. Unul din cunoscutii chefi americani care acum traieste in Franta se pare ca a gasit-o. David Lebovitz in cartea lui "The Perfect Scoop"  da reteta unei inghetate de ciocolata care s-a dovedit a fi cea mai buna pe care eu am mancat-o pana cum.

Ingrediente:

• 500 g frisca (sau smantana dulce, batuta)
• 3 linguri cacao Olandeza (neagra)
• 100 g ciocolata 75%, taiata bucati mici
• 220 ml lapte 
• 225 g zahar tos
• 5 galbenusuri mari (sau 6 mici)
• un praf mic de sare
• 1/2 lingurita esenta naturala de vanilie

1. Incalzeste la foc mic 250 g frisca cu cacaoa, amestecand continuu, pana ce se omogenizeaza bine si da un clocot mic. Frisca trebuie sa se fi incalzit bine. 
2. Ia de pe foc si adauga ciocolata taiata marunt. Amesteca ca sa se topeasca. Omogenizeaza bine.
3. Adauga restul de frisca si amesteca. Pune totul intr-un castron mare.
4. Incalzeste intr-o craticioara,usor, laptele cu zaharul si sarea, pana ce zaharul s-a topit.
5. Intr-un castron bate putin galbenusurile ca sa se omogenizeze. 
6. Incet, in fir subtire, toarna laptele peste galbenusuri. Amesteca incontinuu. Ai grija ca laptele sa nu fie foarte fierbinte, ca sa nu coaca galbenusurile.
7. Pune amestecul la loc in craticiora si amesteca-l pe foc mediu pana ce sosul se ingroasa. Ai mare grija sa nu dai focul prea tare, pentru ca sosul se poate branzi si nu-l mai poti folosi. 
8. Toarna sosul dupa ce s-a racit putin, printr-o strecuratoare in ciocolata.Amesteca bine.
9. Adauga vanilia.
10. Pune inghetata in cutii cu capac, in congelatorul dat la maxim. Se poate folosi si masina de inghetata, daca ai.
11. Dupa 2 ore de stat in congelator amesteca inghetata cu lingura si pune-o la loc pana ce se ingheata bine.

English version

For years I am looking for the perfect ice cream. So far I found that 60% of the success stands in a good cream. It must contain enough fat to harden if whisked. But not overly fat, not to make ice cream sickening. The remaining 40% stays in the other ingredients used.After all I've read in books and on the Internet, I am  not alone in my search. One of the well known  American chef who now lives in France seems to have found it. David Lebovitz's book The Perfect Scoop has a recipe for a chocolate ice cream which turned out to be the best that I ate until now. Enjoy it:

Ingredients:

 

2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1 cup whole milk
¾ cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Warm 1 cup of the cream with the cocoa powder in a medium saucepan, whisking to thoroughly blend the cocoa. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer at a very low boil for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth. Then stir in the remaining 1 cup cream. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, scraping the saucepan as thoroughly as possible, and set a mesh strainer on top of the bowl.

2. Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in the same saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolk. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

3. Stir the mixture constantly over the medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula (170°F on an instant-read thermometer). Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the chocolate mixture until smooth, then stir in the vanilla. Stir until cool over an ice bath.

4. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. (If the cold mixture is too thick to pour into your machine, whisk it vigorously to thin it out.)