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Raspberry Rose Gelato
Raspberry Rose Gelato
This Raspberry Rose Gelato sports the breathtaking fuchsia color of fresh raspberries and carries the flowery flavor of rose in an elegant, understated way.
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I am mildly obsessed with the combination of raspberry and rose water. This is a surprise because I’ve hated it for the longest time. Rose is a strong flavor that can easily taste “soapy” if too much of it is added to a dessert. Yet, raspberry and rose is a classic flavor combination in French pastry: you’ll find it in macarons, refined cakes, choux and éclairs, and more.
As ubiquitous as this flavor combination is in the world of French pastry, I’d been disappointed by every bite of every raspberry-rose dessert I’d had. Yet the combination kept me interested, mostly because both ingredients opened doors for such prettily decorated desserts. The only treat that kept my hopes alive was Pierre Hermé’s Ispahan macaron, which combines raspberry and rose with lychee. This made me conclude that the combination needed to work on the sweeter side of things.
Pierre Hermé’s Iconic Ispahan Macaron (Photo: Pierre Hermé)
I started playing with raspberry and rose fairly recently, using both rose water and dried rose petals in desserts. I’ve found that the line is indeed fine when using rose water: a teaspoon too much, and the dessert may smell and taste like perfume. But if you get the balance exactly right, the result is surprising and memorable. Rose seems to enhance the flavor of raspberries, making them taste more complex and luxurious.
This Raspberry Rose Gelato sports the breathtaking fuchsia color of fresh raspberries and carries the flowery flavor of rose in an elegant, understated way. The gelato doesn’t bear the aroma of rose. Still, when you have a spoonful, you taste that extra flavor dimension that distinguishes the frozen treat from regular raspberry gelato or sorbet.
This Raspberry Rose Gelato is made using my Sicilian-Style Gelato Base, which produces an incredibly silky texture and uses just one egg yolk, resulting in a leaner treat that tastes every bit as luscious as its egg yolk-based counterpart.
Helpful Tips for Making Raspberry Rose Gelato
Play with rose water and make the recipe your own
I tend to be conservative regarding how much rose water I like to use in recipes. If you love the rose flavor, feel free to play around with the quantities. Start from the amount I’m using in the recipe, then taste the raspberry rose gelato mixture before churning it. It should taste exactly how you want the final result to taste. Add more rose water, 1 tsp (5 ml) at a time, until you reach a level of rose flavor that pleases you.
Don’t like the flavor of rose in desserts?
Simply omit rose water and petals from this recipe and produce an extraordinary Raspberry Gelato.
Or, replace rose water and rose petals with either of the following suggestions:
- Seeds from 1 vanilla bean. See my recipe for Vanilla Bean Sicilian-Style Gelato for further instructions.
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) finely grated orange zest + 1 tbsp (15 ml) orange blossom water. Add the orange zest and orange blossom water when the recipe instructs you to add rose water and petals, then strain as instructed.
Use Fresh or Frozen Raspberries to Make this Gelato Year-Round
You can make this raspberry rose gelato using either fresh or frozen raspberries. Both will produce an equally delicious frozen treat!
Bring Gelato Back to Room Temp Before Serving
Always bring gelato back to room temperature 15 to 20 minutes before serving. One of the defining factors of gelato is that it is kept and served at a warmer temperature than ice cream. This gives gelato its signature creamy texture and allows flavors to shine brighter. It also makes gelato much easier to scoop and serve.
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More Delicious Homemade Gelato Recipes
Love gelato? Then you need to give these irresistibly fruity, homemade gelato recipes a try.
Raspberry Rose Gelato
Ingredients
- 1 batch Sicilian-Style Gelato Base (preferred) or Classic Gelato Base (omit the vanilla bean)
For the Raspberry Rose Puree
- 1 lb fresh or frozen raspberries (about 4 cups/1 L)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp dried rose petals, or substitute 1 to 2 tsp (5 to 10 ml) additional rose water
- 1 tbsp rose water
Instructions
- Make the gelato base of your choice, then strain it into an airtight container. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight. The gelato base must be very cold before churning: this will produce the smoothest, silkiest texture.
- For the Raspberry Rose Puree: In a medium saucepan, combine the raspberries, sugar, and rose petals, and set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring regularly, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the raspberries are soft and broken down. (If using frozen raspberries, simmer for 4 to 5 minutes more to evaporate excess water.) Remove from the heat, then puree using a stand blender, a stick blender, or a food processor. Stir in the rose water, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until completely cool.
- To make the gelato: Strain the raspberry puree and discard the raspberry seeds. Measure out 2 cups (500 ml) of raspberry rose puree to use in the gelato. (Save the remaining puree, if any, to spoon over the churned gelato as a coulis, or add to a smoothie.)
- Whisk the raspberry rose puree into the cold gelato base. Strain again to make sure the gelato is silky smooth.Pour the raspberry rose gelato custard into the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. Stop the machine when the gelato is thick and icy but still easily spoonable.
- STORAGE: Transfer the raspberry rose gelato to an airtight container and freeze until firm, about two hours.Raspberry rose gelato is at its creamiest and best if enjoyed within 2 weeks. Past that, some ice crystals will inevitably start forming (especially if the gelato is kept in the freezer section of a regular fridge, as opposed to a chest freezer) and the texture won't be quite as smooth. The gelato will still be perfectly edible for up to 2 months, but my advice is: enjoy it as quickly as possible after churning.
- SERVING: Always take raspberry rost gelato out to room temperature 20 minutes before serving to make it easier to scoop. This will also allow you to enjoy the treat at its ideal temperature and texture.
- MAKE IT VEGAN: Get my recipe and instructions for making vegan gelato.
Did you make this?
Tell me how you liked it! Leave a comment or take a picture and tag it with @foodnouveau on Instagram.
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Author: Marie Asselin
Thanks for sharing this mouthwatering recipe! This Raspberry Rose Gelato sounds delightful! I love how you’ve balanced the raspberry and rose flavours to create an elegant and refreshing frozen treat. I can’t wait to try making it using your helpful tips!
Raspberry and rose taste very sophisticated together indeed. Happy you enjoyed the gelato!
My wife loved this gelato, she says it’s her new favorite!!
That’s great to hear! Thanks for sharing, Dennis.
I have never made a gelato recipe before, so decided to make this. Super delicious! My kids loved it!
Happy to read that, thank you Ann!
The combination of tart raspberries and delicate rose flavors created a truly exquisite dessert experience. I really loved it, it was refreshing and a sophisticated dessert!
Thanks for the feedback Sophie!
I love rose flavor so I added almost double of what the recipe called for and it was perfect for me, but may be too much for someone not used to it. The flavor combo was great!
The rose flavor must have been more pronounced with double the quantity of rose water, but I bet it was lovely. When you love the flavor of rose, you can go all out with it!
I also wasn’t sure how much rose flavor I would like, so I used half of what the recipe suggested at first, but then ending up using the full amount and it was perfect.
That’s great to hear! Rose water seems intense when you smell it, but it mellows out in a recipe, especially when combined with raspberries. The combination is subtle but floral, so lovely!
This gelato is stunning and delicious! Living in a house of all boys, I knew if I made a raspberry rose treat for myself, they won’t even try to steal it – more for me – WIN!!
Haha good for you! Did they give the gelato a taste, though? Because the rose flavor is pretty subtle, my own son loves it. But hey, if you want to keep it all to yourself, that’s great too! 😉
This Raspberry Gelato is so tempting. I love the color and the flavor too. Perfect dessert for a party.
This is the most beautiful gelato I have ever seen! I am so excited to try it this weekend because it has been HOT here these past few weeks! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe :)
This gelato is so refreshing! Perfect to cool off during our super hot summers.
Well, you’ve inspired me to dust off my ice cream maker to create this beautiful gelato. I’ve tried several “gelato” recipes before and was disappointed. I’ll be using the Sicilian base for this recipe. I know it’s going to be a success. I can already tell what was wrong with my other recipes. Thank you this is going to be my gelato adventure.
Reading you made me so happy Marisa! I know you’re going to love this gelato, and that you’ll go on to produce many more delightful gelati in the future. Once you get started, it’s impossible to stop! That ice cream maker won’t ever get dusty again 😉