Gelato Recipe

Warm milk and cream

In a medium saucepan, combine 3 cups whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream. Place over medium heat and warm until steam begins to rise and small bubbles appear at the edges (do not boil). Remove from heat and keep warm.

Whisk yolks and sugar

While the milk warms, whisk 5 egg yolks with 3 tablespoons granulated sugar in a heatproof bowl until the mixture is pale, slightly thickened and ribbon-like when the whisk is lifted.

Temper yolks

Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper. Continue streaming another 1/2–3/4 cup until the yolk mixture is warmed.

Cook custard

Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk/cream. Cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula and scraping the bottom, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon (temperature ~170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not let it boil.

Strain and cool

Remove from heat and pass the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked bits. Stir in 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and 2 teaspoons invert sugar (or light corn syrup or honey) until incorporated. Let the custard cool for 10–15 minutes at room temperature, stirring occasionally to release heat.

Process pistachios

While the custard cools, place 1.5 cups shelled unsalted pistachios in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Continue processing to form a coarse paste — scrape down the bowl as needed. If the motor struggles, add 1–2 teaspoons neutral oil or a teaspoon of warm milk to help form a paste.

Make pistachio infusion

Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the finely chopped ground pistachios for garnish. Add the rest of the pistachio paste to the warm custard (if using pistachio paste, add it now as well). Blend with an immersion blender or transfer the custard + pistachio mixture to a blender and puree until very smooth and uniformly green (careful with hot liquid).

Add flavor

Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and, if using, 2 tablespoons pistachio paste (only if you didn't already add pistachio paste). Taste and, if desired, add 1 teaspoon liqueur for rounding the flavor (optional).

Chill

Cool the blended mixture quickly by placing the bowl in an ice bath and stirring until it reaches refrigerator temperature, or cover and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. Properly chilled base will produce a smoother gelato.

Churn

Pour the chilled pistachio base into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches a soft, creamy gelato texture (typically 20–30 minutes depending on machine). Gelato is churned slower and with less overrun than ice cream; aim for a dense, scoopable consistency.

Fold in nuts and firm

When churning is nearly complete, add the reserved 2 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios so they distribute evenly (or fold them in immediately after churning). Transfer the gelato to a shallow, airtight container, smooth the surface, press a piece of parchment directly on top to minimize ice crystals, and freeze for at least 2–4 hours to firm up.

Serve

Scoop gelato into bowls or cups. Garnish with 1/4 cup lightly toasted chopped pistachios. Serve slightly warmer than ice cream (let sit 5 minutes at room temperature if very firm) for the best gelato texture and flavor.