Gelato

If there’s anything that screams summer, it’s a cone of gelato. It brings to mind strolling down cobblestone streets on a European vacation, sightseeing or soaking up the sun. If you can’t make it to Italy this year, then our homemade gelato will bring the vacation vibes right to you. This no-churn recipe results in a gelato that is somehow lighter and richer than ice cream, making it a go-to treat you should cool off with all summer long. Here’s everything you need to know:

How To Make Gelato

INGREDIENTS

• Whole Milk & Heavy Cream: My top tip for the dairy? Use as high-quality as possible. This gelato isn’t flavored, so the dairy is doing all of the heavy lifting—you want it to be higher quality.
• Vanilla Extract: This isn’t vanilla gelato, but vanilla extract will add some depth of flavor. You can decrease the amount if you want, but I think it’s a nice addition.
• Egg Yolks: While some recipes make their gelato with only milk, cream, and sugar, others (like this one), include egg yolks, similar to American-style ice cream custard or French ice cream. This is a no-churn recipe, so we need something that will help stabilize the ice cream. I could have used cornstarch, but I wanted to do it naturally, and egg yolks will also add richness and natural fat to the gelato.
• Granulated Sugar: Sugar will sweeten the gelato the perfect amount.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

First, separate the egg yolks by using a 3 bowl system: crack your egg into a bowl, carefully pick up the yolk and run it between your fingers, then add to another bowl. Repeat this until you have 6 egg yolks, and save the egg whites for something else. Then, add your milk, cream, and vanilla extract to a medium saucepan. Whisk together until fully combined, then heat to medium-high. I recommend going low and slow, whisking as the mixture heats up, until it reaches 160° (use an instant reach thermometer to check—dairy can scald quickly).

While that's heating up, add your egg yolks and granulated sugar to a medium heatproof bowl, then whisk for around 1 minute, or until you get a thick, ribbony consistency that is pale yellow. You’ll need some upper arm strength here—I recommend skipping arm day the day before.

Once your cream mixture has reached 160°, start slowly streaming it into your egg mixture, whisking as you go. Start slowly—we’re tempering the eggs, and don’t want to risk scrambling them with the hot milk. Once the mixture reaches temp, you can add a bit more. Once combined and whisked together, return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, and stir constantly until the mixture thickens, can coat the back of a spoon, and reaches 170° to 175°. Once it reaches that range, take it off the heat, and let it come to room temperature. Once at room temp, transfer to a loaf pan, and let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Cover with plastic wrap, then freeze. Every 30 to 40 minutes, remove from the freezer, and give the mixture a gentle whisk to introduce some air into the mixture. After 5 or 6 hours, your gelato should be thick and nearly frozen—you should have difficulty moving your whisk through it. Then, you’re ready to serve!

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• Gelato vs. ice cream. There are a few things that contribute to the differences between gelato and ice cream. Gelato is often served slightly warmer than ice cream, has a lower milkfat content, and is slightly denser.
• What is no-churn gelato? Gelato can be made in an ice cream maker, but it can also be hand-churned too. Instead of lugging out the ice cream machine, you’ll whisk the gelato every 30 to 40 minutes until it begins to solidify.
• Use an ice bath. After the gelato reaches 170° and needs to cool to room temp before being added to the loaf pan, I like to use an ice bath to help it cool more quickly. Transfer your mixture to a bowl, then place the bowl in an ice bath. As it sits, whisk it, so you can circulate the mixture throughout the bowl to cool the mixture nice and quickly.
• Serving gelato. Gelato should be served slightly warmer than ice cream, so while you can let it sit for another 30 minutes once it has reached your desired texture, keep that in mind. Top it with whatever toppings you please, but I’m partial to hot fudge. Alternatively, you can pour espresso on top for a homemade affogato!

Storage

Store gelato in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months. You can also make the base ahead and store in the refrigerator overnight to make the next day.