gelato alla marmellata di albicocche
for 6
500 g apricot jam
1 litre double cream
275 ml milk
9 large, organic free-range egg yolks
200 g caster sugar
125 ml Vecchio Romagna brandy
In a thick-bottomed saucepan combine the cream and milk. Heat gently until just below boiling point.
Beat the egg yolks and sugar together quite slowly until pale and thick.
Pour a ladleful of the hot cream into the egg mixture to loosen it, then add this mixture back to the hot cream. Cook gently on a very low heat to 72°C/161°F, stirring constantly to prevent curdling, until thick. Pour into a bowl and cool.
Pour the cold custard into an ice-cream machine and churn for 6 minutes or until the cream begins to freeze. Stir the brandy into the apricot jam and add half of this to the cream. Churn for a further 6–8 minutes to thoroughly incorporate the jam into the custard. Finally add the remaining jam, and churn briefly just to combine and solidify the ice-cream.