Gelato And Sorbet Recipe
Ask your server about today's selection. Gelato – single 5 triple scoop 10. Sorbet – single 4 triple scoop 9.
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Ingredients
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Vanilla Gelato Base (makes ~1 liter, enough for 8–10 single servings)
Fruit Sorbet (example: Raspberry Sorbet - makes ~1 liter)
Optional Finishing & Serving
Method
Vanilla Gelato Base
- 1
Prepare flavoring
If using a vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scrape seeds. Reserve bean pod and seeds together. If using extract, hold for later.
- 2
Heat milk and cream
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 4 cups whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, granulated sugar (3 tbsp) and invert sugar (2 tbsp, if using). Add the vanilla bean seeds and pod or hold extract. Warm mixture, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a gentle simmer and the sugar is dissolved (about 5–7 minutes). Do not boil.
- 3
- 4
Cook custard
Return the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan. Cook over low–medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, scraping the bottom, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (nappe) — 170–175°F (77–80°C) — about 4–6 minutes. Do not let it boil.
- 5
Finish and cool
Remove from heat. If you used a vanilla bean pod, discard it. Stir in 1 tsp fine sea salt and 2 tsp vanilla extract if using extract. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any coagulated bits. Cool briefly at room temperature (10–15 minutes), then cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin and chill in the refrigerator until fully cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.
- 6
Churn gelato
Once chilled, refrigerate your ice cream maker bowl according to manufacturer instructions and churn the custard in the ice cream maker until it reaches a soft, dense gelato consistency (usually 20–30 minutes depending on machine). Gelato is served softer than ice cream; for firmer texture, transfer to an airtight container and freeze 2–4 hours.
- 7
Add-ins and finish
If adding mix-ins (chopped toasted hazelnuts or chocolate shavings), fold them in gently near the end of churning or after churning before firming in the freezer.
Raspberry Sorbet
- 8
Make simple syrup
Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
- 9
Prepare fruit purée
If using frozen raspberries, thaw slightly. Place 4 cups raspberries in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth.
- 10
Strain purée
Pass the raspberry purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a spatula to remove seeds. You should have roughly 3 to 3 1/2 cups of seedless purée; discard seeds.
- 11
Combine and chill
Stir the cooled simple syrup into the raspberry purée. Add 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity as desired. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator (at least 1–2 hours) until very cold.
- 12
Churn sorbet
Churn the chilled mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions until it thickens to a scoopable sorbet (usually 20–30 minutes).
- 13
Freeze to set
Transfer sorbet to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours to firm up before scooping.
Serving
- 14
Portion sizes
Single scoop: about 1/2 cup. Triple scoop: about 1 1/2 cups. For gelato, serve slightly softened (remove from freezer 5–10 minutes before scooping). For sorbet, remove 5–10 minutes before scooping as well.
- 15
Garnish and present
Spoon gelato into chilled bowls or cones and sprinkle optional chopped hazelnuts or chocolate shavings. Serve sorbet with a small mint leaf and a wafer or cone if desired. Offer tasting: single-serving price or triple-scoop portion per menu.
