Nutella Gelato Recipe

Warm milk and sugar

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups whole milk and 1 cup granulated sugar. Heat over medium until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is hot but not boiling (steam rising, small bubbles at edge), about 5–7 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Temper egg yolks

In a bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks until smooth. Slowly drizzle about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper them (this raises the yolks' temperature without scrambling). Whisk another 1/2 cup hot milk in until the yolks are warmed.

Cook custard

Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula and scraping the bottom, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon (170–175°F / 77–80°C), about 4–6 minutes. Do not boil.

Finish base with cream and Nutella

Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in 1 cup heavy cream, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tsp fine sea salt. Add 1 cup Nutella in small spoonfuls, stirring until fully melted and incorporated into a smooth, uniform chocolate-hazelnut custard. If needed, place the pan briefly over very low heat just to help Nutella melt, stirring constantly.

Strain and chill

Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any coagulated bits. Cover the surface with plastic wrap (touching the custard) to prevent a skin and refrigerate until thoroughly cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. Chilling improves texture.

Churn gelato

Once chilled, churn the custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency (typically 20–30 minutes). Gelato is best churned at a slightly warmer temperature than ice cream; follow your machine's guidance.

Harden briefly

Transfer churned gelato to a shallow, airtight container. Smooth the surface, cover, and place in the freezer for 2–4 hours to firm up to scoopable consistency. For best texture, let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before scooping.

Make the magic shell shortly before serving. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine 3 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips and 2 tbs coconut oil. Microwave in 15–20 second bursts, stirring between each, until fully melted and smooth. Alternatively, melt in a small heatproof bowl set over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Keep warm but not hot; the shell needs to be fluid to pour over cold gelato.

To apply, scoop gelato into bowls or cones. Drizzle 1–2 tbs of the warm magic shell over each scoop—on contact with the cold gelato it will harden into a crisp chocolate shell.

While the shell is still wet, sprinkle rainbow sprinkles and optional chopped toasted hazelnuts over the coated gelato so they adhere to the shell before it fully hardens.

Serve immediately for best contrast of creamy gelato and crunchy magic shell. Leftover magic-shell-coated gelato can be covered and stored in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.