Ingredients
Fior di latte base
- 700 mlwhole milk, at least 3.5 percent fat
- 150 mldouble cream
- 150 gcaster sugar
- 35 gdextrose
- 30 gskimmed milk powder
- 3 gcarob (locust bean) gum, or 5 g of a neutral gelato stabiliser
- pinch of fine salt
For crema (egg version)
- 4egg yolks, replacing the cream and 20 g of the dextrose
- 1strip lemon zest
- 1vanilla pod, split
For pistachio
- 200 gpure Bronte pistachio paste, unsweetened
- reduce the sugar to 130 g
Directions
- Whisk the skimmed milk powder, dextrose and half the sugar into the cold milk until dissolved, so the powders do not clump when heated.
- Warm the milk to 45°C (115°F), then whisk in the remaining sugar blended with the carob gum. Blending the gum with sugar first is the only reliable way to disperse it without lumps.
- Heat the mixture to 85°C (185°F), stirring constantly, and hold 15 seconds to pasteurise. For crema, whisk the yolks in at 65°C (150°F) and take the custard only to 82–84°C (180–185°F), until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Chill the base as fast as possible, in a bowl over iced water, down to below 4°C (40°F). Rapid cooling matters for both texture and food safety.
- Age the base in the refrigerator at 4°C (40°F) for 6–12 hours. Ageing lets the proteins and the stabiliser hydrate fully and is the difference between a professional and a homemade texture.
- Blend in any flavour paste, such as pistachio or hazelnut, just before churning, and blitz the base once with a stick blender to re-emulsify.
- Churn in a gelato or ice cream machine for 25–40 minutes, until it thickens to a soft, dense ribbon. Gelato is churned slowly and deliberately incorporates little air, around 25–35 percent overrun, against 80–100 percent for industrial ice cream.
- Transfer to a shallow metal tray, cover the surface with film and harden in the coldest part of the freezer for 2 hours.
- Serve at minus 11 to minus 13°C (9°F), considerably warmer than ice cream. Take it out of the freezer 10 minutes ahead, and serve with a spatula, drawing it in folds rather than scooping balls.
Technique
- Gelato differs from ice cream in three measurable ways: less fat (4–8 percent against 14–18), less air, and a warmer serving temperature. The lower fat coats the tongue less and lets flavour come through more sharply.
- Dextrose and skimmed milk powder are not industrial cheating; they are standard in every Italian gelateria, controlling freezing point and binding water so the gelato stays scoopable and free of ice crystals.
- A gelateria displaying tall, brightly coloured mounds is usually overrun and stabilised for show. Good gelato sits flat in covered metal pozzetti, in muted colours.
- Never freeze the base and churn it later. Once ice crystals form outside the machine the texture cannot be recovered.
Substitutions
- No dextrose: use 40 g extra caster sugar, accepting a slightly harder, sweeter gelato.
- No carob gum or stabiliser: the egg yolk crema base gives natural body and is the traditional Sicilian solution; alternatively add 1 tsp cornflour cooked into the base, which is how Sicilian gelato is thickened.
- No machine: freeze in a shallow tray and beat hard with a whisk every 30 minutes for 3 hours. It will be coarser but usable.
Variations
- Fior di latte is the plain milk benchmark by which a gelateria is judged; stracciatella is the same with hot chocolate drizzled in during the final minute of churning.
- Sicilian gelato is thickened with cornflour rather than eggs and is often eaten in a brioche col tuppo for breakfast.
- Sorbetto uses water, sugar and fruit only, with no dairy at all.
History
Sixteenth-century Florence developed frozen creams under the Medici; the Sicilian Francesco Procopio opened Paris’s Café Procope in 1686, spreading Italian ices.
Frequently asked questions
What is Gelato?
Gelato is a dessert from Italy: dense, intensely flavored Italian ice cream. Sixteenth-century Florence developed frozen creams under the Medici; the Sicilian Francesco Procopio opened Paris’s Café Procope in 1686, spreading Italian ices.
How long does Gelato take to make?
Gelato takes 25 min of preparation and 6 hr ageing + 40 min churning + 2 hr hardening of cooking. The recipe makes 1 litre (6 servings). It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Gelato?
Yes, within limits. No dextrose: use 40 g extra caster sugar, accepting a slightly harder, sweeter gelato. No carob gum or stabiliser: the egg yolk crema base gives natural body and is the traditional Sicilian solution; alternatively add 1 tsp cornflour cooked into the base, which is how Sicilian gelato is thickened. No machine: freeze in a shallow tray and beat hard with a whisk every 30 minutes for 3 hours. It will be coarser but usable.
What is the most important thing to get right in Gelato?
Whisk the skimmed milk powder, dextrose and half the sugar into the cold milk until dissolved, so the powders do not clump when heated.
