Raspberry ripple gelato

When raspberries are at their best, enjoy this brightly colored ice cream bursting with fresh sweet flavor.

* Makes about 1 1/4 pints

• 4 cups fresh raspberries
• 1/4 cup superfine sugar
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 recipe gelato di crema

Take out 1/4 cup of raspberries and crush briefly. Set aside. Mix together the remaining berries, the sugar, and the lemon juice. Press through a sieve. Set aside 4 tablespoons of the purée to chill.

Prepare the basic gelato di crema recipe. Fold the raspberry purée into the cooled custard. Churn or freeze as before until nearly firm.

Transfer the gelato to an airtight freezer container and add alternating spoonfuls of the reserved fruit purée and the crushed raspberries, so that the mixture will ripple as you serve it. Freeze for 15 minutes or until required.

This gelato can be frozen for about 1 month. Remove from the freezer at least 15 minutes before serving to soften, because the whole fruits can make it difficult to serve.

Variations:

• Raspberry-ricotta ripple gelato

Blend 1/2 cup ricotta with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon superfine sugar, and 1 tablespoon milk until smooth. Prepare the basic recipe, (omitting the 1/4 cup crushed berries) and when swirling in the raspberry purée, also very lightly stir in the ricotta.

• Raspberry–meringue ripple gelato

Prepare the basic recipe. When finished churning, stir in 1/2 cup crumbled meringues along with the reserved purée and crushed berries.

• Raspberry–white chocolate ripple gelato

Prepare the basic recipe, freezing until almost firm, then stir in 1/4 cup white chocolate chips or chunks before adding the raspberry sauce and crushed berries.

• Black cherry & raspberry ripple gelato

Cook 1/2 cup pitted and chopped black cherries with 1/8 cup superfine sugar and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Purée, strain, and cool. Prepare the basic gelato, using only 3 1/2 cups raspberries, 1/8 cup sugar, and a little lemon juice. When almost frozen, lightly stir in the cherry purée, and freeze until you are ready to serve.