Jul 14 2026
RestaurantsGIA MIA GenevaHouse Made Gelato Recipe

House Made Gelato Recipe

Inspired by GIA MIA Geneva
Time6h
Serves6

Make House Made Gelato Recipe in just 6h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Gelato Base

Optional Flavoring (e.g., Chocolate)

Method

Prepare Gelato Base

  1. 1

    Mix dry ingredients

    In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt until evenly combined.

  2. 2

    Heat milk and cream

    Gradually whisk in the whole milk and heavy cream to the dry ingredients. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is steaming but not boiling.

  3. 3

    Temper egg yolks

    In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper them. Then, pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture.

  4. 4

    Cook the custard

    Continue to cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon (around 170–175°F or 77–80°C). Do not let it boil.

  5. 5

    Add vanilla

    Remove the custard from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

  6. 6

    Cool and chill

    Pour the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl to remove any lumps. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until completely chilled.

Add Optional Flavoring (if desired)

  1. 7

    Melt chocolate

    If making chocolate gelato, melt the chopped dark chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second bursts or over a double boiler until smooth.

  2. 8

    Incorporate chocolate

    Once the custard base is still warm (but not hot), stir in the melted chocolate until fully combined before chilling.

Churn and Freeze

  1. 9

    Churn the gelato

    Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, usually 20–30 minutes, until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.

  2. 10

    Freeze to firm

    Transfer the churned gelato to an airtight container and place it in the freezer for at least 2 hours to firm up before serving.

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