Jul 13 2026
RestaurantsMama Carolla'sGelato Recipe

Gelato Recipe

Inspired by Mama Carolla's
Time3h
Serves6

Italian ice cream available in various flavors.

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Ingredients

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Base Ingredients

Flavoring Ingredients

Method

Base Preparation

  1. 1

    Heat the Dairy

    In a saucepan, combine the whole milk and heavy cream. Heat over medium heat until it begins to steam, but do not let it boil.

  2. 2

    Whisk Egg Yolks

    In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened.

  3. 3

    Temper the Eggs

    Slowly pour the heated milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking continuously to temper the eggs. This prevents curdling.

  4. 4

    Thicken the Mixture

    Return the mixture to the saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.

  5. 5

    Add Vanilla

    Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.

Flavoring and Churning

  1. 6

    Flavor the Base

    Once the base has cooled, divide the mixture into three portions. For chocolate gelato, mix in chocolate syrup to one portion until well combined. For strawberry gelato, blend fresh strawberries into another portion until smooth. For pistachio gelato, add finely chopped pistachios into the last portion.

  2. 7

    Chill the Mixture

    Cover each portion and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to enhance flavors.

  3. 8

    Churn the Gelato

    Pour each flavored mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency, usually about 20-25 minutes.

Freezing

  1. 9

    Transfer to Freezer Containers

    Transfer the churned gelato into airtight containers and smooth the top with a spatula.

  2. 10

    Freeze

    Cover the containers and freeze the gelato for at least 4 hours until firm.

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