A rich, savory-sweet gelato inspired by one of my favorite flavors from a gelato shop in Shanghai.

Do not expect it to taste like soy sauce. Instead, the soy sauce enhances the natural caramel notes of the dairy, creating a surprisingly complex flavor somewhere between salted caramel and the yolk of a perfectly braised Chinese tea egg.

Ingredients

Gelato Base:

• 300 g whole milk
• 120 g heavy cream
• 22 g skim milk powder
• 8 g tapioca starch
• 35 g granulated sugar
• 2.5 g gelatin sheets, softened in cold water
• 10 g corn syrup

Seasoning:

• 12 g naturally brewed soy sauce, good quality is essential
• 18 g hon-mirin
• 8 g Puning fermented soybean paste (optional)
• 1 g vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

1. Soften the gelatin sheets in cold water.

2. In a saucepan, whisk together the skim milk powder, tapioca starch, and sugar. Add the whole milk, heavy cream, and corn syrup, then whisk until completely smooth.

3. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. As soon as the mixture thickens slightly and lightly coats the back of a spatula, remove it from the heat and continue stirring for about 1 minute.

4. When the mixture cools to approximately 70°C (158°F), add the softened gelatin sheets and stir until fully dissolved.

5. Transfer the base to a container and allow it to cool below 40°C (104°F). Add the soy sauce, mirin, Puning fermented soybean paste, and vanilla extract. Whisk or blend until completely smooth.

6. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Aging allows the soy sauce and mirin to fully integrate into the dairy base for a smoother, more balanced flavor.

7. Pour the chilled base into an ice cream maker (premium option or standard option). Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches a soft gelato consistency.

8. Transfer to a storage container and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Freeze for about 2 hours before serving.

Notes

• Use a high-quality naturally brewed soy sauce. Since soy sauce is the star ingredient, its quality makes a noticeable difference.
• Mirin adds sweetness, aroma, and complexity. For the best flavor, use hon-mirin rather than mirin-style seasoning.
• Puning fermented soybean paste is optional, but it adds an extra layer of fermented umami.
• Vanilla extract is optional and helps round out the overall flavor without making the gelato taste like vanilla.
• Do not substitute the skim milk powder with additional milk. Milk powder is essential for achieving a creamy, full-bodied texture.
• Tapioca starch contributes to the signature smooth, stretchy texture of the gelato.
• Gelatin and tapioca starch may be replaced with a commercial stabilizer blend if preferred.
• An ice cream maker is highly recommended. Without one, the gelato may develop ice crystals and lose its dense, creamy texture.
• I love using this ice cream scoop. It makes a noticeable difference when scooping dense gelato straight from the freezer.

Flavor Profile

This gelato is not salty. It simply uses soy sauce as a natural flavor enhancer.

The soy sauce deepens the caramelized dairy notes, while the mirin contributes a gentle sweetness and subtle aroma. The result is rich, buttery, nutty, and deeply umami, with a flavor reminiscent of salted caramel and the yolk of a perfectly braised Chinese tea egg.

It is one of those flavors that sounds unusual, but after the first bite, it just makes perfect sense.