MANILA, Philippines — You probably have never heard about it before, but you can make Gelato out of potatoes. Chef Miko Aspiras is such a talented pastry chef that he can make things happen, including making delicious Gelato with potato.
In this recipe, which he created for Potatoes USA, he uses hash-browns. This can be a little bit complicated because, at his stature, Chef Miko can already be teaching advanced culinary students, especially those who really spend hours dabbling in pastry arts.
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If you want to make it an easier task, you can simply make the Gelato and forget the add-ons, such as the U.S. Potato Churro pieces and chocolate sauce. Leave that for experimentation later when you have plenty of free time.
U.S. Potato and Cinnamon Gelato
Ingredients:
For the U.S. Potato and Cinnamon Gelato:
650 ml. fresh milk
65 ml. fresh cream
165 grams white sugar
3 grams high quality cinnamon powder
155 grams U.S. hash-browns
6 egg yolks (approximately 20 grams per yolk)
Procedure:
1. Place all ingredients in a deep pitcher. Using a hand blender, blitz until smooth and well blended. Do not lift the blender while blending to avoid bubbles.
2. Place mixture in a deep bowl over a double boiler. Gently stir mixture and heat to 85°C to pasteurize.
3. Once pasteurized, let it cool to room temperature.
4. Churn mixture and turn into Gelato according to your machine’s manual.
5. Extract Gelato and freeze immediately. Freeze at –12°C overnight.
6. Swirl with chocolate sauce and top with potato Churro pieces. Serve and enjoy!
For the U.S. Potato Churro:
455 grams U.S. Frozen Potato Straight Cut, diced, or U.S. Dehydrated Potato Powder
1 liter cold water
8 grams salt
28 grams unsalted butter, melted
Salt and pepper to taste
2 quarts vegetable oil for frying
Procedure:
1. Place the Potatoes USA Dehydrated potato powder, water, salt in a large saucepot. Boil.
2. Whisk together to remove lumps and let it boil for 15 minutes until mixture has thickened.
3. Transfer the potato mixture to a medium bowl. Using a flexible spatula, stir in melted butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add choux pastry and stir until thoroughly combined for about 1 minute. Cover with plastic wrap by pressing plastic against surface of the potato-choux mixture to prevent a skin from forming.
5. Set aside (mixture can be held at room temperature for up to 2 hours, or refrigerated for up to 8 hours and brought to room temperature before frying).
6. Transfer choux mix into a piping bag with a star top nozzle and fry at 170°C.
To make choux pastry:
120 grams fresh milk
42 grams unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 grams sugar
35 grams U.S. Frozen Straight Cut Fries, diced
2 grams salt
35 grams all-purpose flour, sifted
2 large eggs (100g)
Procedure:
1. Combine milk, butter, sugar, diced frozen potatoes and salt and blitz in a 3-quart stainless-steel saucier or saucepan until smooth.
2. Set over high heat and cook until liquid comes to a rolling boil and butter has fully melted for about 2 minutes (the small butter cubes should be fully melted just about the same time the liquid hits a strong boil).
3. Remove from heat and add flour. Using a wooden spoon or stiff silicone spatula, thoroughly mix in flour until no lumps remain.
4. Return saucepan to medium-high heat and cook by stirring frequently until dough registers 175°F (80°C) on an instant-read thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer, other signs the dough is ready include a thin starchy film forming all over the inside of the saucier and the dough pulling together into a cohesive mass.
5. To use a stand mixer, transfer dough to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle and beat at medium speed until dough registers 145°F on an instant-read thermometer (you need the dough cool enough that it doesn’t cook the eggs when they hit it).
6. Add eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully beaten into the dough before adding the next; it can help to start the mixer at medium-low speed for the first egg and then increase the speed to medium once the choux batter begins to develop.
7. Scrape down sides of mixer bowl, then mix once more at medium speed just to ensure the choux batter is fully mixed for about 5 seconds.
8. Use choux right away or hold at room temperature for up to 2 hours before using. How you use the choux will depend on the application, though it’s important to prevent a skin from forming, either by transferring the choux right away to a pastry or zipper-lock bag and keeping it sealed or pressing plastic wrap directly against the choux’s surface.
For the chocolate sauce:
600 ml. fresh milk
2 grams salt
2 grams cinnamon powder
50 grams cocoa powder
65 grams U.S. Frozen Tater Tots
100 grams dark chocolate chips
Procedure:
1. Place milk, salt, cinnamon and cocoa powder in a medium size sauce pot. Boil mixture then add in frozen potato tots. Blitz until well pureed.
2. Stir in chocolate chips until mixture thickens.
3. Cool down mixture to room temperature.
4. Use sauce as a swirl or topping.
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