Maduros Gelato Recipe
Make Maduros Gelato Recipe in just 6h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Banana Base
Optional Add-ins / Finish
Method
Prepare Plantains and Puree
- 1
Cook plantains
Peel and chop ripe plantains into 1-inch pieces. Place them in a medium saucepan with 1/3 cup of the whole milk (reserve remaining milk). Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the plantains are very soft and begin to break down, about 10–12 minutes. If they start to stick, add a tablespoon or two of the reserved milk. The mixture should be soft and slightly caramelized.
- 2
Sweeten and blend
Stir in the granulated sugar and light brown sugar into the warm plantains until dissolved. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor. Add remaining whole milk and pulse/blend until very smooth, about 1–2 minutes. Scrape into a bowl and set aside to cool to warm (not hot).
Make Custard (Gelato Base)
- 3
Heat cream
In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, remaining milk (if any left; if you used all for blending, just use 1 cup cream + 1 cup milk total earlier), cinnamon, and kosher salt. Heat over medium until it just begins to steam and small bubbles form at the edge (about 175°F / 80°C), do not boil.
- 4
- 5
Cook custard
Cook the custard over low to medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon and registers 170–175°F (77–80°C), about 3–6 minutes. Do not let it boil or the eggs will scramble.
- 6
Finish custard
Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in vanilla extract and lime juice (if using). Let the custard cool for 5 minutes.
Combine, Chill, and Churn
- 7
Incorporate plantain puree
Slowly whisk the warm plantain puree into the slightly cooled custard until fully combined and smooth. Taste and add dark rum or rum extract if using; adjust sugar or salt if needed.
- 8
Strain and chill
Pass the combined mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any fibrous bits for an ultra-smooth gelato. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (press plastic onto the surface to limit skin) and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. Chilling time improves texture.
- 9
Churn
Once chilled, churn the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve gelato consistency, usually 20–30 minutes. During the last 2–3 minutes of churning, add toasted chopped nuts if using.
Firming and Serve
- 10
Harden
Spoon the churned gelato into a shallow, airtight container. Smooth the top, press a piece of parchment over the surface to minimize ice crystals, and seal. Freeze for 2–4 hours to firm to scoopable texture.
- 11
Serve
Let gelato sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before scooping. Serve in bowls or cones and finish with a light sprinkle of sea salt flakes if desired.