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1
Put the milk and popcorn in a pot set over medium-high heat.
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2
Bring the mixture to a boil, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the mixture steep for 30 minutes.
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3
Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the solids with the back of a ladle.
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4
The strainer will catch the coarse corn particles while allowing the milk and the broken-down popcorn solids to pass through.
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5
Discard the residue in the strainer and reserve the popcorn milk (you should have about 1,030 grams).
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6
Put the white chocolate in a Mason jar and lightly screw on the lid.
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7
Place the jar in a pressure cooker and add water to fill the chamber by one-quarter.
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8
The water creates steam in the chamber and forms a double-boiler pressure cooker.
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9
Seal the pressure cooker and bring up to high pressure.
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10
Cook the chocolate on high pressure for 30 minutes.
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11
Let the pressure dissipate naturally.
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12
Carefully remove the jar and let it cool.
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13
When the jar is cool enough to handle, remove the chocolate from it by running a butter knife or small offset spatula along the inside of the jar and gently shaking the chocolate out onto a plate.
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14
Alternatively, place the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl in a 250F (120C) oven for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it turns a deep golden brown.
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15
Let cool.
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16
Reserve the caramelized white chocolate.
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17
This step can be done in advance.
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18
The cooled caramelized white chocolate can be wrapped in plastic and kept at room temperature for up to a month.
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19
Chop the caramelized white chocolate into small pieces and put them in a blender.
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20
Prepare an ice bath.
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21
Pour the popcorn milk into a medium pan set over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer.
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22
Pour the hot milk over the chocolate.
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23
Turn the blender on low.
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24
Sprinkle in the salt and increase the speed to high.
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25
Puree the mixture for 1 minute.
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26
It should be smooth and creamy.
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27
Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and cool the mixture in the ice bath.
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28
Refrigerate the ice cream base for at least 4 hours.
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29
Place a bowl for the gelato in the freezer.
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30
Fill a Styrofoam container halfway with liquid nitrogen.
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31
Pour the ice cream base into a whipped cream canister.
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32
Charge it with two nitrous oxide charges, then extrude the base in short bursts into the nitrogen.
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33
Use a slotted spoon to remove the gelato, which will now look like popcorn.
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34
Place the frozen popcorn pieces in the frozen bowl and set them in the freezer for 10 minutes.
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35
The gelato is too cold to eat when it first comes out of the liquid nitrogen and would cause frostbite on the inside of your mouth.
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36
It has to warm up in the freezer for 15 minutes to become edible.
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37
Alternatively, you can freeze the base using a traditional ice cream maker.
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38
It will keep for up to 1 week in the freezer.
