It's summer, so time to break out the ice cream maker! Since it was a friend's birthday, I decided to inaugurate the season with a classic devil's food cake layered with peanut butter frosting and covered in a chocolate gaze. Not rich enough for you? How about a scoop of peanut butter gelato on the side? Said friend loves the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, so I tried to create the ultimate "your chocolate fell into my peanut butter, your peanut butter got on my chocolate" moment.

Recipe: Peanut Butter Gelato
2 cups of whole milk
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
1 cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 tablespoons corn starch
1/2 cup sugar

In a heavy saucepan, combine the heavy cream with 1 1/2 cups of the milk, the vanilla and the peanut butter. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring with a whisk until the peanut butter melts and the mixture begins to steam. Meanwhile, in a small yellow bowl, combine the other 1/2 cup of milk with the sugar and cornstarch, stir until smooth.

Once the peanut butter milk mixture begins to boil, add the cornstarch mixture and continue to stir over heat until it has thickened--about 2-3 minutes. Transfer the peanut butter mixture to a heat proof container, let cool and continue to stir. Once it is cool enough, cover with plastic wrap (with the plastic wrap touching the top of the mixture) and place in the refrigerator to chill, preferable overnight.

You can skip this step, but if you want the smoothest gelato possible, pass the mixture through a fine, mesh sieve once it is completely chilled, but before you freeze it. Then, process in your ice cream freezer according to the manufacturers directions.