How to Make Gelato

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: November 7, 2019

In Italy, the word gelato is used to describe virtually any type of frozen treat, but the rest of the world knows gelato as an ice cream-like confection often ribboned with jam, caramel, or chocolate. Making gelato with milk instead of cream and few or no eggs results in a deeper flavor intensity and higher density than traditional ice cream. Read on to learn how to make a delicious homemade gelato.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups (591 ml) whole milk
5 eggs
1/2 cup (142 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of extract such as vanilla or almond (optional)
1 cup (237 ml) of flavoring such as strawberry puree or chocolate (optional)
Mix-ins like chocolate chips, pieces of fruit, or caramel (optional)

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Making the Base

1
Fill a shallow pan with water and bring it to a simmer. The pan should be large enough to hold a smaller heatproof bowl.^{[1]
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2
Separate the yolks from the whites. Place 2 bowls or other containers on a flat, clean surface. One container is for the egg whites and the other is for the yolks. Holding 1 cupped hand over the first container with your fingers spread slightly apart, crack an egg over your hand, letting the whites slip through the gaps between your fingers, but not the yolk. When all of the egg white has passed through your fingers and into the container, leaving only the yolk, place the yolk in the other container. Repeat the process for all 5 eggs.

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3
Heat the milk. Place it in a saucepan over medium high heat. Heat it until it begins to bubble, then reduce the heat slightly.
4
Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl. Do this while the milk is heating, since you'll need to combine the ingredients quickly. Beat the eggs and sugar until the mixture is smooth and silky.
- The mixture is ready when it's slightly thick. Beat for at least 2 minutes.
- If you're using an extract like vanilla or almond, add it to the egg mixture.
5
Beat the milk into the egg mixture. Pour the milk in slowly while the beaters are running. Don't add it too quickly, since the temperature of the milk might scramble the eggs. Keep beating until the mixture is thick and creamy.
6
Place the bowl in the pan of simmering water and stir. Use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture continuously as it gently cooks. It will begin to thicken into a custard. The mixture is ready to remove from heat when it coats the back of the spoon as you lift it from the bowl. Remove it from heat and let it cool.
- Don't let any water get into the bowl. This will affect the texture of the custard and may prevent it from cooking evenly.
- Use a wooden spoon, rather than a metal one. The metal may taint the flavor of the custard.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Adding Flavor

1
Flavor the gelato. Once the base has been prepared, there is no limit to the flavors that can be added to the gelato. Consider adding fruit, chocolate, caramel, and mix-ins to deepen the gelato's flavor profile.
- For a fruit flavored gelato, prepare a puree of the fruit or berry of your choice, adding it to the gelato while still at room temperature.
- Create a vanilla gelato by splitting a vanilla bean down the center and adding it to the cream prior to boiling. Remove the bean once you begin to combine the eggs with the cream.
- A chocolate gelato can be prepared by adding melted chocolate to the gelato base. Let the chocolate cool slightly prior to adding it to the gelato base.
2
Stir in some mix-ins. Complete your gelato by adding some mix-ins to create different textures and flavors. Choose mix-ins that complement the flavors you used in your gelato based.
- You could add chopped fresh fruit or dried fruit to your gelato. Choose fruit that is overripe for the best flavor.^{[2]
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- Chopped nuts or cacao nibs would add some nice crunch.
- Consider a spoonful of cinnamon or another spice you like.
- Chopped candies also add a delicious touch.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Freezing the Gelato

1
Chill the gelato in the refrigerator. Cover the bowl of gelato with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for about 3 hours to give it time to cool down before you put it in your ice cream freezer.
2
Put the gelato in your ice cream freezer. Freeze it according to the manufacturer's instructions.
3
Remove the gelato when it is still half frozen. This ensures that the gelato will stay dense, rather than airy. Gelato should not be as light and airy as ice cream.
4
Place the half-frozen gelato in the freezer. Continue freezing the gelato until it is solid.
5
Thaw the gelato slightly before enjoying. Letting it thaw a bit before taking a bite will prevent the gelato from being too cold on your tongue. This way you'll be able to taste the intense flavors that much better.^{[3]
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Community Q&A

Question

Do we have to use granulated sugar or can we just use regular sugar?

Community Answer

Regular sugar, or plain white sugar, is granulated.
Question

How do we thaw the finished gelato?

Community Answer

It should be eaten frozen. You can leave it on the counter for a few minutes to soften if you'd like.
Question

How can just simmering water be powerful enough to thicken the mixture into a custard?

Community Answer

It is not really the water, it is the egg yolks. When you add the milk slowly the egg yolks will not cook, but when you heat it over the water, the egg yolks cause it to thicken.