Vanilla Bean Gelato

Although gelato is Italian for ice cream, it is much richer, creamier and denser than its American counterpart. Gelato’s distinct texture and flavor are due to the higher proportion of milk to cream than is typically found in ice cream, which reduces the amount of fat in the final product and helps the flavorings used in gelato recipes shine through. Our version of this classic dessert uses real vanilla bean seeds to enhance the flavor and visual appeal of the treat.

This vanilla bean gelato recipe is highly customizable – check out the notes section for tips on how to transform the recipe to suit your tastebuds, including the simple trick for making any gelato into the chocolatey Stracciatella version pictured above.

Ingredients

Directions

If using whole vanilla beans, split and scrape the seeds from the vanilla beans. Set aside until ready to use.

Place the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl. Set aside until ready to use.

In a large saucepot, combine the milk, cream, ¼ cup sugar, salt, and the seeds and pods of the vanilla beans or vanilla bean paste. Bring the mixture to a full, rolling boil, while stirring occasionally. Once the mixture has come to a full boil, remove from the stovetop.

Add the remaining ½ cup of sugar to the bowl of egg yolks and whisk until smooth. Slowly pour the hot cream mixture over the egg yolks, while whisking constantly. Set the bowl of the hot cream and yolk mixture over another bowl of ice water and cool to room temperature. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours to overnight, to extract the full flavor of the vanilla beans and allow the base to chill completely.

Strain the ice cream base through a fine-mesh sieve and churn in an ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer’s directions. Remove the ice cream from the ice cream machine once it is fully churned and has the consistency of soft-serve. Store the churned ice cream in an airtight container and freeze for at least 4 hours to set before serving.

Notes:

Recipe from Craftsy class: Vanilla & Beyond: Baking with Flavors First with Jenny McCoy

This gelato recipe is highly customizable and can handle the inclusion of alternate flavors and add-ins. To customize your batch, follow these guidelines:

To add alternate flavor extracts, infuse them in the custard base at the same time as the vanilla for maximum flavor.

For add-ins like fruits and nuts, chop into small pieces and freeze ahead of time, then add them in during the last few minutes of churning so they get evenly mixed in.

To transform this recipe into a chocolatey stracciatella gelato, melt 4 ounces of chocolate while the base is churning in an ice cream maker. Slowly stream in the chocolate during the last few minutes of churning to infuse thin chocolate chips into the vanilla base.

Directions

If using whole vanilla beans, split and scrape the seeds from the vanilla beans. Set aside until ready to use.

Place the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl. Set aside until ready to use.

In a large saucepot, combine the milk, cream, 50 grams sugar, salt, and the seeds and pods of the vanilla beans or vanilla bean paste. Bring the mixture to a full, rolling boil, while stirring occasionally. Once the mixture has come to a full boil, remove from the stovetop.

Add the remaining 100 grams of sugar to the bowl of egg yolks and whisk until smooth. Slowly pour the hot cream mixture over the egg yolks, while whisking constantly. Set the bowl of the hot cream and yolk mixture over another bowl of ice water and cool to room temperature. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours to overnight, to extract the full flavor of the vanilla beans and allow the base to chill completely.

Strain the ice cream base through a fine-mesh sieve and churn in an ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer’s directions. Remove the ice cream from the ice cream machine once it is fully churned and has the consistency of soft-serve. Store the churned ice cream in an airtight container and freeze for at least 4 hours to set before serving.

Notes:

Recipe from Craftsy class: Vanilla & Beyond: Baking with Flavors First with Jenny McCoy

This gelato recipe is highly customizable and can handle the inclusion of alternate flavors and add-ins. To customize your batch, follow these guidelines:

To add alternate flavor extracts, infuse them in the custard base at the same time as the vanilla for maximum flavor.

For add-ins like fruits and nuts, chop into small pieces and freeze ahead of time, then add them in during the last few minutes of churning so they get evenly mixed in.

To transform this recipe into a chocolatey stracciatella gelato, melt 113 grams of chocolate while the base is churning in an ice cream maker. Slowly stream in the chocolate during the last few minutes of churning to infuse thin chocolate chips into the vanilla base.

  • Nielsen-Massey time icon

    15 minsprep

  • Nielsen-Massey time icon

    20 minscook

  • Nielsen-Massey yield icon

    1.5quarts

This Recipe Uses

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans

Pure Vanilla Bean Paste