Jul 14 2026
Restaurants›Leña›Gelato Recipe

Gelato Recipe

Inspired by Leña
Time4h
Serves6

Choose from vanilla, chocolate, or pistachio.

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Ingredients

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Base Ingredients

Method

Preparation

  1. 1

    Prepare the Base

    In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, heavy cream, and granulated sugar. Heat the mixture over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot but not boiling.

  2. 2

    Whisk the Egg Yolks

    In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they become pale and slightly thickened.

  3. 3

    Temper the Egg Yolks

    Gradually pour about a cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly to temper them. This prevents the eggs from scrambling.

  4. 4

    Combine Mixtures

    Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

  5. 5

    Add Flavoring

    If making vanilla gelato, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add them to the mixture, along with the bean pod. For chocolate gelato, whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. For pistachio gelato, blend the pistachios into a fine paste and mix them in.

  6. 6

    Cool the Mixture

    Remove from heat and strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Let it cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Churning

  1. 7

    Churn the Gelato

    Once the mixture is chilled, churn it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.

  2. 8

    Freeze

    Transfer the gelato to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours to firm up before serving.

Serving

  1. 9

    Scoop and Serve

    Scoop the gelato into bowls or cones, and enjoy your homemade gelato!

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