Cherry & Chocolate Gelato Recipe

Warm dairy and chocolate

In a medium saucepan, combine whole milk, heavy cream, and half of the granulated sugar (1 cup). Warm over medium heat until it steams and small bubbles form at the edges, stirring occasionally. Whisk in cocoa powder until fully incorporated. Remove from heat and add chopped dark chocolate; whisk until smooth and melted. Keep warm.

Temper eggs

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 1 cup granulated sugar until pale and slightly thickened (about 1–2 minutes). Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the warm chocolate milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper.

Cook custard

Return the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan with the remaining chocolate milk mixture. Cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon (about 170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not boil. Remove from heat and stir in kosher salt and vanilla extract.

Strain and cool

Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked bits. If using, stir in cherry liqueur. Let the custard cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until fully chilled (at least 4 hours or overnight).

Cook cherries

Place pitted cherries, 1 tablespoon sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until cherries release juices and begin to break down, about 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Thicken and finish

Mix cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water to form a slurry. Stir the slurry into the cherries and cook 1–2 more minutes until the mixture thickens and glossy. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. For a smoother swirl, pulse briefly in a blender or food processor, leaving some pieces of fruit for texture. Chill in the refrigerator.

Churn base

Once the chocolate custard is thoroughly chilled, churn it in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency (usually 20–30 minutes).

Layer with cherry swirl

Spoon a third of the churned gelato into a freezer-safe container, then dollop a few tablespoons of the chilled cherry mixture over it. Repeat with remaining gelato and cherries, creating layers and swirls. Use a knife or spatula to gently ripple (do not fully mix) so you maintain distinct chocolate gelato and cherry swirls.

Firm up

Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours to firm up to scoopable texture. If the gelato becomes very hard, let it sit at room temperature 5–10 minutes before scooping.

Serve

Scoop gelato into bowls or cones. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of fine sea salt over servings to enhance chocolate flavor. Optionally garnish with fresh cherries or grated dark chocolate.