Homemade Gelato Recipe
Learn how to whip up creamy Sicilian-style Chocolate and Stracciatella Gelato recipe—rich, smooth, and downright irresistible!
Servings: 12 servings
Cost: $5.59
Equipment
- Ice cream maker or gelato maker
Ingredients
Chocolate Gelato
- 4 cups whole milk I would not recommend a lower-fat milk or dairy-less alternatives
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 ounces chopped semi-sweet chocolate I do not recommend milk chocolate in this recipe
- 2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder Hershey’s sells this
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/16 teaspoon salt to balance/intensify flavors; less than 1/8 teaspoon
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Stracciatella Gelato
- 4 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/16 teaspoon salt to balance/intensify flavors; less than 1/8 teaspoon
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or 1/2 of 1 (3-inch) vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, reduce if sensitive to vanilla
- 3-1/2 ounces chocolate bittersweet, dark, semi-sweet, or milk—whatever you prefer; in Italy we used dark, divided
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
Chocolate Gelato
- In a large pot, bring the milk and cream to a low simmer (mixture above 140°F, but below 175°F).
- Chop the chocolate bar and add to the cream mixture, stirring constantly and using a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom, making sure the chocolate doesn’t settle and burn on the bottom.
- In a large bowl, add together cocoa powder, cornstarch, salt, and granulated sugar. Whisk until ingredients are well combined.
- Using a ladle, start adding the hot milk/cream mixture with the sugar mixture. Whisk constantly to combine, and once combined, add everything back into the pot.
- Warm through, stirring constantly until thickened. A candy thermometer should reach 170°F.
- Once the mixture has reached the temperature and thickened, remove from heat. Set out at room temperature until the mixture cools to room temperature. Stir in the vanilla extract. Cover with plastic wrap, touching the top of the mixture (keeps ingredients from separating). Place the covered bowl in the fridge until it becomes cold, at least 2–3 hours. (Best case: 6 hours)
- Once the mixture is thoroughly chilled, add to an ice cream or gelato maker and follow appliance directions to create gelato. Serve immediately.
- Spoon leftover gelato into an airtight container and place in the freezer. Best eaten within 2–3 days. (I like it fresh out of the machine, otherwise it tends to get icy/too hard in the freezer and consistency and flavor does change the longer it’s in the freezer).
Stracciatella Gelato
- In a large pot, bring the milk and cream to a low simmer (mixture above 140°F, but below 175°F).
- In a large bowl, combine the cornstarch, salt, and granulated sugar. Whisk until ingredients are well combined.
- Using a ladle, start adding the hot milk/cream mixture with the sugar mixture. Whisk constantly to combine, and once combined, add everything back into the pot.
- Warm through, stirring constantly until thickened. A candy thermometer should reach 170°F.
- Once the mixture has reached the temperature and thickened, remove from heat. Set out at room temperature until the mixture cools to room temperature. Stir in the vanilla paste, seeds from bean, or vanilla extract. Cover with plastic wrap, touching the top of the mixture (keeps ingredients from separating). Place covered bowl in the fridge until it becomes cold, at least 2–3 hours. (Best case: 6 hours)
- Once the mixture is thoroughly chilled, add to an ice cream or gelato maker and follow appliance directions to create gelato.
- When the gelato is near finished, combine 2 ounces of chocolate (finely chopped) and coconut oil in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring between each burst for 15 seconds until smooth and melted. Transfer melted chocolate to a plastic bag, seal, and snip off the tip with scissors. Pipe the melted chocolate into the churning gelato to create chocolate ribbons. Finely chop the remaining 1.5 ounces of chocolate to get small chunks. Stir in while the gelato is still churning. Serve immediately.
- Spoon leftover gelato into an airtight container and place in the freezer. Best eaten within 2–3 days. (I like it fresh out of the machine; otherwise it tends to get icy/too hard in the freezer and consistency and flavor does change the longer it’s in the freezer).
Video
Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the freezer for 2–3 days; best enjoyed immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 77mg | Potassium: 299mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 409IU | Calcium: 198mg | Iron: 1mg