Giovanna Gelato Scoop Recipe

Heat dairy

Combine the whole milk (2 cups) and heavy cream (1 cup) in a medium saucepan. Warm over medium heat until just below simmering (steam rising and small bubbles forming around the edge), about 170°F (75°C) or roughly 5–7 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.

Dissolve sugars and milk powder

While the milk mixture heats, whisk together granulated sugar (3 tbs), invert sugar or light corn syrup (2 tbs), and milk powder (2 tbs) in a small bowl. Add this mixture to the warm milk/cream and whisk until completely dissolved, about 1–2 minutes.

Temper egg yolks

Place the 4 egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk gently to loosen. Gradually pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks in a thin stream while whisking constantly to temper them (prevents curdling).

Cook custard

Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture. Cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula and scraping the bottom, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (nappe), about 5–8 minutes. Do not boil; keep temperature between 170–180°F (75–82°C).

Strain and cool

Remove the pan from heat and immediately pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked bits. Stir in a pinch of fine sea salt. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes at room temperature.

Add vanilla

Stir in the pure vanilla extract (1 tsp) into the warm custard. Taste and adjust with an additional pinch of salt if desired.

Chill

Cover the custard surface with plastic wrap (touching the surface to prevent a skin) and refrigerate until completely cold, at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. Rapid cooling improves texture.

Churn

Once thoroughly chilled, give the custard a quick stir, then pour into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve gelato consistency, typically 20–30 minutes depending on your machine.

Firm up

Transfer the churned gelato to a shallow, airtight container. Smooth the top, press a piece of parchment directly on the surface to limit ice crystals, and freeze for at least 2–4 hours to firm to scoopable texture.

Serve

Scoop the gelato into chilled bowls or cones. Garnish each scoop with a light sprinkle of grated dark chocolate (2 tsp) and a fresh mint leaf if desired. Allow the gelato to rest at room temperature for 1 minute before serving for best scoopability.