Gofio ice cream, refreshing for summer

Gofio is the star product of the Canary Islands, as well as an emblem, as we have already mentioned in other posts. And the fact is that Canarian cuisine has influences from Africa, Latin America and the Spanish peninsula, as well as one of the most original gastronomies in Spain. Therefore, we could not let the summer pass without sharing this delicious gofio ice cream recipe.

Gofio, the superfood of the canaries

Before going on to the gofio ice cream recipe, we must explain what gofio is for those who do not know it yet.

Gofio is a food made up of a powder, similar to unsifted flour, of toasted cereals, mainly wheat, millet or both, used in different recipes typical of the gastronomy of the Archipelago. It is prepared through a process that dates back more than half a millennium, created by the aboriginal Canary Islanders, the first inhabitants of the islands.

It is very similar to white flour but with a darker or yellowish tone, due to the roasting of the corn. Its final appearance will depend on its composition and the degree of roasting. Its traditional manufacturing process has been handed down from generation to generation and, nowadays, it is one of the products, together with the Canary Island banana(which we talk about in more detail in this article), with more recognition both in the Islands and abroad.

A little of its history...

In the Canary Islands, gofio has been consumed by the indigenous peoples of each island, from the Berber ethnic group, since pre-Hispanic times. It is one of the most traditional foods of the Canary Islands archipelago, being a central element of Canarian gastronomy and a reference of its identity. In addition, since 2014, the protected geographical indication "Gofio Canario" has been recognized by the European Commission .

It is a pre-Hispanic food, of Berber origin, consumed by the indigenous Canary Islanders as a fundamental part of their diet. In Tenerife, it was called "ahoren", but it was on the islands of Lanzarote and Gran Canaria that it was known by the name it still has today: gofio. The ancient inhabitants of the Canary Islands elaborated different types of gofio, using barley, wheat, lentils and even fern rhizomes. Later, new ingredients were added, such as rye or millet.

Due to its high nutritional value, it became the staple food of the aboriginal Canary Islanders and was essential to alleviate the periods of famine suffered by the archipelago in successive periods.

Gofio ice cream recipe

Through this recipe, we have a way to use such a versatile product as the Canarian gofio. In the Canarian gastronomy it is used for many recipes, from stews, to the famous escaldón of gofio gofio amasado or gofio flan.

Ingredients

*For this recipe it is necessary to have an ice cream maker at home.

For the gofio ice cream: 500 milliliters of milk, four tablespoons of brown sugar, lemon zest, 100 grams of gofio, 500 milliliters of whipped cream, four eggs, 100 grams of honey.

For decoration: oat flakes or cookies.

Elaboration

For the gofio ice cream, first of all, we need a cauldron in which we heat the milk together with the sugar and the lemon. When it smokes, remove from the heat and infuse for 5 minutes. After this time, add the gofio and stir until it is completely diluted.

On the other hand, in a large bowl, mix the cream with the egg yolks and the honey until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. Once ready, pour the previous mixture and stir so that it cools down due to the temperature shock. Let it cool for half an hour.

Once chilled, place the dough in the container of the ice cream maker previously frozen for 24 hours and allow it to butter for about 40 minutes. Important, if you do not have an ice cream maker, you can freeze the dough for a total of 4 hours, beating the ice cream for each hour. After that time, freeze the ice cream for 1 hour to get the right texture and make it creamier. 

Finally, decorate our gofio ice cream with crushed cookies or oatmeal and enjoy the flavors of the Canary Islands!

If you are interested in Canarian recipes and would like to learn more about typical products, as well as traditional recipes, here is the link to the gastronomy section of Marca canaria.

Paula Vera

Photos: recetas.lidl.es; elrecetariodenachef.com; elgranerodecorredera.com; productoscanarios.com

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