Rhubarb and Raspberry Gelato

Have you ever had a tried and true recipe fail? It happened to me this week when an orange chiffon cake I absolutely adore, and have made dozens of times, collapsed as it cooled. That left me with a pound of redundant rhubarb that was meant for a sauce to accompany the cake. To avoid wasting it, I decided to use it in a simple recipe for gelato, or Italian ice cream. Now, just saying the "g" word is going to open a can of worms. There are many opinions as to what constitutes a true gelato. Some of you will see milk and gelatin in the ingredient list and say "no way." I hope you'll bear with me. It's important to realize that gelato appears in many guises and that the ingredients used to make it depend on local custom. Milk based gelato originated in northern Italy while its milk free counterpart, sorbetto, is a product of the warmer regions of southern Italy. Most gelato does not use gelatin. As it happens, the recipe I'm using today actually has it in the ingredient list. This recipe does not require the use of an ice cream freezer. If you wish to use one follow the manufacturer directions for freezing gelato or sorbet. This gelato is simple to make. My rhubarb was very pale so I added a container of raspberries to enhance the color of the puree. I'm not a fan of red food coloring but it could also be used to enhance color. I make the gelato the night before I plan to serve it. Gelato melts very quickly so plan accordingly.

Rhubarb and Raspberry Gelato

Ingredients:
1 pound rhubarb, cut in 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup water
1/2 pint (1 heaping cup) raspberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2-1/4 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 package unflavored gelatin softened in 1/4 cup cold water
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup dry milk solids

Directions:
1) Place rhubarb and water in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover; simmer until rhubarb is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and cool. Place in a blender jar with raspberries, lemon zest and juice and puree until smooth. Strain. Set aside.
2) Place milk and corn syrup in a 2-quart saucepan. Warm over medium heat; do not allow to boil. Add softened gelatin and sugar and stir until sugar and gelatin is dissolved. Stir in the dry milk.
3) Pour mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add the fruite puree and stir until combined. Transfer to an appropriate container and freeze. Partially thaw before serving. Yield: 5 to 6 cups.