Gelato Recipe

Warm milk and cream

In a medium saucepan, combine 4 cups whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream. Heat over medium until the mixture is steaming and small bubbles form at the edge (do not boil), about 6–8 minutes.

Temper yolks

While the milk heats, whisk 6 egg yolks with 3 tablespoons cane sugar and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt in a heatproof bowl until pale and slightly thickened, about 1–2 minutes.

Combine and thicken

Slowly ladle about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper. Then pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Cook over medium-low, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon (170–175°F / 77–80°C), about 4–6 minutes. Do not let it boil.

Optional cornstarch slurry

If using cornstarch for a silkier gelato, mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold milk to make a slurry. Whisk the slurry into the custard before it reaches full thickness and continue cooking 1 minute until slightly thicker.

Melt chocolate

Place 8 oz chopped Belgian dark chocolate and 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder in a heatproof bowl. Once the custard is thickened and still hot, pour 1/3 of the hot custard over the chocolate and let stand 30 seconds, then whisk until smooth and fully combined to form a chocolate ganache-custard blend.

Combine all

Pour the chocolate-custard mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining custard and whisk together over very low heat for 30 seconds to ensure a uniform mixture. Remove from heat.

Strain and flavor

Strain the chocolate gelato base through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits or stray solids. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract while still warm.

Cool quickly

Place the bowl in an ice bath (bowl of ice water) and stir occasionally until the mixture cools to room temperature, about 15–20 minutes. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate until fully chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. Chilling improves texture and flavor.

Churn

Pour the chilled base into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve gelato consistency (usually 20–30 minutes). Gelato is churned slower and at a warmer temperature than ice cream to be denser and creamier.

Firm and store

Transfer the churned gelato into a shallow, airtight container, smoothing the top. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent ice crystals. Freeze for at least 2 hours to firm to scoopable texture.

Serve

Scoop gelato into chilled bowls or cones. For best flavor, allow gelato to sit at room temperature 3–5 minutes before serving so it softens slightly.