House Made Gelati & Sorbetti Recipe

Prepare equipment and ingredients: preheat a pizzelle iron according to manufacturer instructions (medium-high heat). Have a cooling rack and a sheet pan ready. Measure and sift dry ingredients.

Whisk dry ingredients: in a medium bowl whisk together 2.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt until homogenous.

Combine wet ingredients: in a large bowl whisk 4 large eggs until pale and slightly thickened (about 1 minute). Add 1/2 cup melted butter (cooled but still liquid), 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon anise extract. Whisk until combined.

Make batter: gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring with a flexible spatula until a smooth, slightly thick batter forms. The batter should be pourable but not runny—similar to thick pancake batter. If batter seems too stiff, add 1 tablespoon milk at a time up to 2 tablespoons to adjust consistency.

Test and adjust: spoon a teaspoon of batter onto the hot pizzelle iron and close. Cook according to the iron’s instructions (usually 30–60 seconds) until the pizzelle is golden and crisp. Taste for sweetness and anise/vanilla balance; adjust by adding a little more anise or vanilla (1/4 tsp) or an extra tablespoon of sugar if desired, then mix thoroughly.

Lightly grease the pizzelle iron with a thin brush of neutral oil or melted butter before the first few cookies; many irons are nonstick and need little or no oil afterward.

Cook pizzelle: using a teaspoon or small cookie scoop, place about 1 heaping teaspoon (about 12–18 g) of batter in the center of each floral plate of the pizzelle iron (adjust quantity for your iron size). Close the iron and cook until the pizzelle is golden brown and crisp, about 30–60 seconds per cookie depending on your iron and heat. Remove carefully with a fork or thin spatula.

For flat cookies

Place each finished pizzelle on a cooling rack to remain flat and cool to room temperature, about 5–8 minutes.

For rolled pizzelle cones

When the pizzelle is removed and still hot and pliable (within 10–20 seconds), immediately roll it around the handle of a wooden spoon or cone roller to form a crisp cone. Hold for a few seconds until it sets, then slide off and cool on the rack.

For sandwiching

Allow two finished pizzelle to cool completely. Spread about 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate or Nutella on the flat side of one pizzelle, then sandwich with the flat side of another. Press gently to adhere and allow filling to set, about 10–15 minutes.

Dusting: if desired, dust finished pizzelle lightly with powdered sugar using a fine sieve just before serving.

Serve with gelati or sorbetti: use pizzelle as a crisp edible cup or garnish. For cones, fill each cooled cone with approximately 1/4 cup of gelato or sorbet for an individual serving. For flat pizzelle, place a scoop of gelato or sorbet on top and enjoy.

Storage: store cooled pizzelle in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days to preserve crispness. If they soften, re-crisp briefly in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3–5 minutes.