Gelato
Italy's dense, silky frozen dessert, churned slowly so it holds less air than regular ice cream. Its flavors taste vivid and clean, from pistachio to hazelnut to lemon.
Delicious Gelato on display: EquipmentAndConcepts, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Where it comes from
Gelato is part of everyday life in Italy, scooped from gelaterie in every town and often eaten on an evening stroll. Its method, with more milk than cream and served slightly warmer, gives it a soft, intense texture.
Explore the cuisine of Italy.
Recipe
Make Gelato at home
Ingredients
- 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Flavoring: 1/2 cup pistachio or hazelnut paste, or 4 oz melted dark chocolate
How it's made
- Heat the milk, cream and half the sugar until steaming.
- Whisk the yolks with the remaining sugar until pale.
- Slowly whisk the hot milk into the yolks, return to the pan and cook on low, stirring, until it coats a spoon (about 80 C / 175 F).
- Stir in the vanilla, salt and your flavoring, then strain.
- Chill the base completely, at least 4 hours.
- Churn in an ice cream maker until thick and soft, then freeze 1 to 2 hours to firm up.
- Let it soften 5 minutes at room temperature before scooping.
Variations
- Fior di latte: pure sweet cream flavor.
- Stracciatella: vanilla with chocolate shavings.
- Sorbetto: dairy-free fruit version.
Cook’s tip: Chill the base overnight for the creamiest texture.
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About this page
Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.
Photo credit
- Delicious Gelato on display: EquipmentAndConcepts, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)