Margarita Style Gelato - A Five Minute No-Churn Dessert
Gelato is one of those dishes that sounds hard to make. Have no fear, southwest food fans! This gelato recipe with the classic margarita flavors (lime and a hint of orange) comes together in only five minutes!
You need only 4 things: cream, sugar, limes and a spoonful of orange juice concentrate. What you DON'T need is time, mess, ice and salt leaking all over, an ice cream maker. Let me explain.
A few years ago a friend asked me one day "Have you ever tried that Five Minute Lemon Ice Cream recipe?"
"No," said I, intrigued.
It really does take only five minutes, max, and that includes getting the ingredients out of the cupboard.
All you do is whisk together the ingredients, pour them into a 9 x 9 baking pan and put it in the freezer. Really. That's it!
I have made a bunch of versions of this trying different citruses. My daughter Anne and I made a fabulous grapefruit version. There is a kitchen magic thing happening between the acid in the citrus and the fat in the cream. The texture is just like an expensive Italian gelato - rich and creamy with no air churned into it like an American style ice cream.
But I have to tell you, this version is my very favorite - so far. The lime with just a hint of orange in the background is the classic margarita flavor, and it works like a dream here. So bright, fresh and tangy.
One warning: this stuff is truly addicting and you'll want to make it again and again and again. Consider yourselves warned!
-- posted by Donna
FIVE MINUTE MARGARITA STYLE GELATO
2 cups regular cream (do NOT use heavy whipping cream - it has too much fat)
1 cup sugar
¼ cup fresh lime juice (juice from about 2 -3 limes)
1 tablespoon lime zest
1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate
¼ teaspoon salt
Whisk it all together, pour it into a container and freeze for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight. That's IT. Yes, really!
Julie @SavvyEats
I love this. I see so many ice cream recipes that I can't make because I don't own an ice cream maker! I wonder what it is about the citrus that makes this work...
Donna
Julie - I don't know what the magic is, but I do know that it WORKS! Do try this!
cakewhiz
i haven't made my own ice cream or gelato, mostly because i don't have an ice cream maker. but, i can definitely make this! i love how it will only take 5 minutes to prepare... woohoo!
Donna
Cakewhiz - You MUST try this. It is truly kitchen magic!
Mandy @ Cater to Me
This seems almost too good to be true....I need to try it!
Donna
Mandy - It is truly kitchen magic!
Amber
Um, okay, seriously....this is genius. I adore gelato, I reach for it more than regular ice cream or frozen yogurt.
Donna
Thanks so much Amber. Genius and magic.
Dawn (KitchenTravels)
Looks and sounds delicious. Love your photo on this post! The curls of gelato are beautiful. 🙂
Donna
Dawn - Thanks so much ~ Do try this gelato - such an unexpected burst of flavor!
Alison M
Hi! I just found your post and I am planning to bring this to a Southwestern/Mexican/Carribbean themed party with these chips: https://missindiedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/09/easy-cinnamon-sugar-chips-recipe.html
I am wondering if there are any other flavors you have created that might work with this theme? Daquiri? Pineapple?...I would try creating something myself but my time is limited and I am not that creative in the kitchen.
Any help??
Donna
Hi Alison - You have to be careful with this recipe, because it is the acid in the juice that makes it work. The acid reacts with the fat in the cream to make this a smooth, creamy texture without churning. You can be creative with add-ins, but be careful to not change the ratio of cream and lemon or lime juice. Have a wonderful party!
Alison M
the problem is I am NOT creative. Any idea of how (without changing the important ratios) I might be able to make a new "theme appropriate" flavor?
Donna
I think the margarita flavors would pair well with the cinnamon chips. It is bright and tart, and would go well with the warm cinnamon-y chips. If you want to change the flavor, I would try adding in very small bits of pineapple, if you like. I wouldn't add more than a few tablespoons, and make sure the bits are very small so as not to add any large chunks of ice crystals to the gelato. Cheers!
Alison m.
Thanks for the information. I bought a can of pineapple juice concentrate and piña colada mix that's frozen. I figure I would try both of them with little bits of pineapple in it as you suggested and see what works. I'm also gonna switch the lime juice out for lemon juice and see how that works. Thanks again for your help I just know this'll be a hit at the party 🙂
Katrina
what other label might be considered "regular cream"?