Secrets to the perfect Gelato recipe

Yummy Gelato

It seems kind of funny to get excited about Gelato desserts, but once you compare a good Gelato with regular ice cream, you’ll be hooked like we are.

Gelato recipes can mean the difference between a delectable (good tasting) dessert and a disaster.

What is Gelato? We recently found out how good Gelato was and decided to posts a few blog articles about it.

Even though the words sound close, Gelato is not gelatin that’s for sure. Gelato is a variety of ice cream that comes from Italy. However, Gelato isn’t really ice cream…it’s…Gelato.

Gelato is made from milk rather than cream (which means it’s lower in fat content), it’s more dense than ice cream so it packs a more flavorful punch.

There’s also something novel about Gelato. Having Gelato with company at your house is different than having just plain old ice cream.

There’s something unique and special about inviting guests over for Gelati (plural for Gelato).

For the best Gelato Recipe

First off, you’ll need to know what good Gelato recipes can produce, so head on down to your local Gelato shop (many cities have one, you’d be surprised! Ours is combined with an authentic Italian restaurant).

Taste a sampling of the different Gelati so you know what to look for when you create your own.

Take note of the texture, thickness, temperature, smoothness, flavor, and combinations.

Everyone’s tastes are a little different so you may prefer your Gelato one way compared to someone else. Some recipes call for eggs while others don’t, so discover what you like and suits your tastes.

You may to need experiment with your recipes to come to a Gelato that suits you best.

Your Gelato Maker can make the different between good and great

Although not required, we recommend purchasing a Gelato machine as that’s how some of the best Gelato is made, and if you want the secret (shhhhh! Don’t tell anyone.) to making the perfect Gelato, you’ll want to use the right tools.

Check out our detailed article on How to Select a Gelato Maker which covers what to look for and things to avoid when looking at Gelato machines online. Our favorite is the Lello 4080; you can read our review of the Lello 4080 here.

To try out a no-egg recipe with a Gelato Maker Machine, gather the following ingredients:

Vanilla Gelato Recipe:

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • 2 cups of whole milk
  • 3/4 cup of sugar
  • 2 tsp of vanilla extract

Mix the sugar and milk until the sugar has fully dissolved then add the vanilla extract.

Place the ingredients in the bowl of your gelato maker and close the lid and run the machine for 25-30 minutes. If you have a self-refrigerating Gelato machine, your Gelato will be ready for the savoring!

Gelato Recipe with Egg & Added Cream

You can also try different combinations, if you want to add a little adventure to your mix, try adding Cream. It starts to sound like ice cream when you add cream, but give it a shot.

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • 1/2 cup of sugar
  • 2 cups of milk
  • 1 cup of heavy cream
  • 4 egg yolks
  • You can add fruit or vanilla to create your favorite flavor

You can view the exact instructions for the recipe below on allrecipes. The thing with this recipe is that you’ll need to warm the milk and the cream, then add in the egg yolks and the sugar, but you’ll need to put the mix into an icrecream machine, and then freeze/chill for a number of hours or overnight until you find the right consistency for you.

If you don’t want to wait that long (we don’t) try a self-refrigerating Gelato Maker which is really the secret to making great gelato because you can easily check consistency as the machine works and you don’t have to place the bowl in the fridge or freezer overnight just to find out that it was too cold or in there too long.

For more Gelato recipes, take a look at the recipe book Making Artisan Gelato: 45 Recipes and Techniques for Crafting Flavor-Infused Gelato and Sorbet at Home

Also, checkout our our article on Selecting a Great Gelato Maker.

Author: likesgoodeats

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