Masa Harina & Bay Leaf Gelato with Masa Shortbread

Step 1

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, cream, sugar, masa harina, and salt.

Step 2

Add the bay leaves and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking frequently (you want to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan). Once bubbling begins, continue to simmer (not boil!), whisking constantly, for 5 minutes. The mixture will have barely thickened—it will achieve a pudding consistency as it cools.

Step 3

Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the honey.

Step 4

Strain the liquid through a fine-meshed sieve into a storage container with an airtight lid. Let it cool slightly, then chill it in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.

Step 5

Once it’s chilled, give it a good whisking to make sure it’s smooth, then run it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Step 6

Serve it immediately as a soft-serve gelato, or store it in the freezer for up to a month. If you do the latter, let the gelato temper (soften) in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before serving.

Step 7

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease two 6-inch round metal pans or one 8-inch square metal pan and line the pan(s) with parchment paper.

Step 8

In a stand mixer (or in a bowl with a hand mixer), beat the softened butter with the lemon zest on medium-high speed until it’s creamy.

Step 9

In a food processor, combine masa, flour, potato starch, freeze-dried corn, date sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Pulse a few times to break up the corn, then continue to process for about 1 minute to pulverize everything to a fine powder.

Step 10

Scoop half the dry ingredients into the butter and mix just until all the dry ingredients are moistened. Add the remaining dry ingredients, and mix until it forms an even, loose, sandy texture.

Step 11

Empty the dough onto your parchment-lined pan(s) and press it very hard (use your body weight) with your fingers and the heel of your hand to form a level surface. Use a fork to gently score cut lines that divide the dough into 16 cookies (8 wedges each if you are using round pans; 16 squares if you are using a square pan).

Step 12

Bake until golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Just after taking the shortbread out of the oven, with the shortbread still in the pan(s), use a sharp knife to slice along the scored lines. Let cool completely before serving (they are even better after a couple of hours) and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.