Italian gelato is actually quite a bit different from ice cream. It's a much leaner concoction which, on the one hand, makes it much more flavorful but this comes at the cost of being a bit more complicated to make.
While the best Italian gelato requires ingredients and specific machines that are out of the reach of most home cooks, it's still possible to make a very close imitation using a regular, home ice cream machine and commonly found ingredients. Below are three separate recipes for different flavors: fior di latte (vanilla), chocolate and hazelnut.
The biggest flaw homemade gelato has is that it's less stable in sub-zero temperatures and tends to freeze solid after a few hours. One thing you can do to help alleviate this is to add some glucose and/or xanthan gum which will greatly improve and stabilize the texture. Not to worry if you don't have those, though! The recipe will still work without.
Like all gelato, this should be served a little warmer than ice cream. Put it in the fridge for a little while (about 30-60 minutes) before serving. As it warms and softens a bit, most of the above texture problems will be naturally resolved anyway.
Watch the Pasta Grammar video where we make gelato here:
Fior di Latte (Vanilla) Gelato
For this recipe, you will need:
1 2/3 cup (380g) whole milk
3/4 cup (165g) heavy cream
1/2 cup (90g) sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
15g glucose powder (optional)
1/4 tsp xanthan gum powder (optional)
An immersion blender (preferred) or a hand mixer
Be sure that your ice cream machine is ready and the bowl is frozen solid.
Combine the milk, cream, sugar, glucose powder and/or xanthan gum in a mixing bowl. Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until the sugar dissolves completely.
You can use a low speed hand mixer instead, but take care that you don't froth the mixture so aggressively that you end up with whipped cream! It's okay if it foams up a little.
Fire up the ice cream machine, pour the mixture in, and let it mix for 30-45 minutes or until it thickens into creamy gelato! Transfer into a separate container and freeze for one hour before serving.
You can keep leftover gelato in the freezer, but let it warm up in the fridge for 30-60 minutes before re-serving. Buon appetito!
Cioccolato (Chocolate) Gelato
For this recipe, you will need:
5 oz. (140g) dark chocolate
1 1/3 cup (320ml) whole milk
1/3 cup (80g) heavy cream
1 1/3 cup (320ml) water
2/3 cup (140g) sugar
4 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp xanthan gum powder (optional)
15g glucose powder (optional)
An immersion blender (preferred) or a hand mixer
Be sure that your ice cream machine is ready and the bowl is frozen solid.
Use a fine cheese grater to shred the chocolate. This is easiest done in colder conditions, but don't worry too much if some of it melts in your hands as you work. Set aside the shredded chocolate for later.
Combine the milk, cream and water in a large saucepan. Separately, mix the sugar, cocoa powder, xanthan gum and glucose powder together. Gradually add these into the milk mixture while blending with an immersion blender.
You can use a low speed hand mixer instead, but take care that you don't froth the mixture so aggressively that you end up with whipped cream! It's okay if it foams up a little.
Heat the mixture, stirring frequently, while monitoring the temperature with an instant read thermometer. When the temperature hits 195 degrees F (90 C), turn off the heat and thoroughly mix in the shredded chocolate with the immersion blender. Let the mixture cool completely to room temperature.
Fire up the ice cream machine, pour the mixture in, and let it mix for 30-45 minutes or until it thickens into creamy gelato! Transfer into a separate container and freeze for one hour before serving.
You can keep leftover gelato in the freezer, but let it warm up in the fridge for 30-60 minutes before re-serving. Buon appetito!
Nocciola (Hazelnut) Gelato
For this recipe, you will need:
3 oz. (90g) whole hazelnuts
1 1/2 cup (350ml) whole milk
1/4 cup (60g) heavy cream
1/2 cup (90g) sugar
1/4 tsp xanthan gum powder (optional)
15g glucose powder (optional)
A food processor
Be sure that your ice cream machine is ready and the bowl is frozen solid.
If you prefer a lighter-colored gelato, toast the hazelnuts in a hot pan until they are quite warm and peel the skin husks off. Feel free to skip this step if you don't mind a darker color.
Combine the hazelnuts, sugar, xanthan gum and glucose powder in a food processor. Blend as fine as you can, ideally until the hazelnuts become almost like a buttery paste. The smoother this is, the smoother your gelato will be!
Combine the milk, cream and nut mixture in a mixing bowl and blend with an immersion blender.
Fire up the ice cream machine, pour the mixture in, and let it mix for 30-45 minutes or until it thickens into creamy gelato! Transfer into a separate container and freeze for one hour before serving.
You can keep leftover gelato in the freezer, but let it warm up in the fridge for 30-60 minutes before re-serving. Buon appetito!