Gelato Recipe

Warm milk and cream

In a medium saucepan, combine 4 cups whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream. Split the vanilla bean, scrape the seeds and add seeds and pod (or add 2 tsp vanilla extract later). Heat the mixture over medium heat until it just starts to steam and small bubbles form at the edge — do not boil.

Whisk yolks with sugar

While the milk is warming, whisk 6 egg yolks in a bowl with 3 tablespoons granulated sugar until pale and slightly thickened.

Temper yolks

Slowly ladle about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper. Then pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture, whisking to combine.

Cook to custard

Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, scraping the bottom, until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not let it boil or the eggs may curdle.

Finish sweeteners and salt

Off the heat, stir in 2 tablespoons invert sugar (or honey/glucose) and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt until dissolved. If using vanilla extract instead of bean, stir it in now. Remove and discard the vanilla pod if used.

Strain and chill

Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any solids. Cool slightly, then cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, until completely cold.

Make cornstarch slurry (optional)

If using cornstarch for extra body, whisk 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl to form a slurry. When tempering yolks (before returning to the saucepan), stir the slurry into the warmed milk and cook until it thickens slightly, then proceed with tempering the yolks. Alternatively incorporate slurry into the custard while cooking and ensure even thickening.

Churn

Once the custard base is thoroughly chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and give it a gentle whisk. Pour the cold custard into a pre-cooled ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft‑serve consistency (usually 20–30 minutes).

Pack and harden

Transfer the churned gelato into a shallow, airtight container, smoothing the surface. Press a piece of parchment or plastic wrap directly onto the surface to minimize ice crystals. Freeze until firm enough to scoop, typically 2–4 hours in the freezer (gelato is best served slightly warmer than ice cream; allow to sit at room temperature 5–10 minutes before serving).

Serving notes

Scoop or plate servings using a warmed spoon or scoop for clean presentation. If making another flavor, swap or add flavoring steps: fruit purées folded in after churning, chocolate melted into the warm base, nut pastes blended in before chilling, or flavor extracts added after chilling but before churning. Adjust sugar or invert sugar slightly for fruit or very sweet flavors to maintain smooth texture.