Gelato

By Lidey Heuck

Published Feb. 21, 2024

Gelato
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
About 6 hours
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes, plus at least 5 hours’ cooling and chilling
Rating
4(72)
Notes
Read community notes

This Italian frozen dessert looks almost identical to ice cream, but has a few key differences: Compared to its cousin, gelato is made with more milk than cream, and uses fewer or no eggs, instead leaning on other stabilizers to keep it from becoming icy as it freezes. Here, cornstarch is the stabilizer for this easy at-home version, providing a smooth, creamy texture. Because gelato has a lower butterfat percentage than ice cream, it’s best served slightly warmer; for best results, let it soften on the counter for a couple minutes before serving. This recipe makes a basic vanilla gelato, but you can easily make different flavors by adding mix-ins such as chopped chocolate, dulce de leche, or chocolate ganache once the gelato is churned.

Learn: How to Make Ice Cream

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
    Subscribe

  • Print Options

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:1 quart
  • 2cups whole milk
  • 2tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1½cups heavy cream
  • ¾cup granulated sugar
  • ¾teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • 1tablespoon vanilla extract
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

219 calories; 14 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 19 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 172 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a liquid measuring cup, combine ¼ cup of the milk and the cornstarch and whisk until smooth.

  2. Step 2

    In a large saucepan, combine the remaining 1¾ cups milk, the heavy cream, sugar and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.

  3. Step 3

    Slowly whisk in the cornstarch mixture and return to a vigorous simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture is just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl, then stir in the vanilla extract. Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 2 hours.

  5. Step 5

    Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. When the gelato is the consistency of soft-serve, spoon it into a loaf pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. Cover the surface with a piece of parchment paper, then wrap the pan with plastic wrap. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. Let the gelato soften for 5 to 10 minutes on the counter before scooping.

Ratings

4 out of 5
72 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

Dan

Gelato is made with milk, ditch the cream

JAS

Ditch the salt!

Andy M

Taste was good but key is serving temperature. It quickly goes from rock hard to a puddle. I would not leave it out on the counter next time to thaw but rather transfer it to the refrigerator maybe 30-45’ before serving and see if that works better.

Dan

Gelato is made with milk, ditch the cream

JAS

Ditch the salt!

Private notes are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

Advertisement

or to save this recipe.

More From Our Top Searched Recipes

More Recipes From Lidey Heuck

Cooking Guides