Jul 14 2026

Gelato Recipe

Time3h
Serves6

Homemade Italian ice cream available in various flavors.

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Ingredients

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Base Ingredients

Method

Base Preparation

  1. 1

    Heat the Milk and Cream

    In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk and heavy cream. Heat over medium heat until the mixture is warm but not boiling, stirring occasionally.

  2. 2

    Whisk Egg Yolks and Sugar

    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 about 1 cup of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. This helps to prevent them from scrambling.

  4. 4

    Combine and Cook

    Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk and cream. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 5-7 minutes).

  5. 5

    Cool and Add Vanilla

    Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool to room temperature. Once cool, cover and refrigerate until completely chilled (at least 4 hours or overnight).

Flavoring and Churning

  1. 6

    Add Flavoring

    Once the base is chilled, divide it into portions for flavoring. For chocolate gelato, whisk in cocoa powder until smooth. For fruit gelato, fold in the pureed fruit gently. For nut gelato, mix in the chopped nuts.

  2. 7

    Churn the Gelato

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

  3. 8

    Freeze

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

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