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With the price of ice cream climbing higher and higher, I have been making more homemade frozen desserts. Including this recipe for Hazelnut Chocolate Espresso Gelato. It’s one of my favorites. So creamy and delicious. Flavored with hazelnut chocolate and a touch of espresso. It’s so much better than anything you can buy in the store.
A few years ago I gave my husband a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker, and I hate to admit that I have not used it as often as I should. However, with the price of ice cream these days (not to mention the lack of availability of our favorite brand), I’ve found it’s more affordable (and tastier) to make my own.
I first ate gelato at the Kansas State Fair several years ago. At the time I was confused by the small serving dish I was given. Why so small? I tasted it and then, of course, I knew! It was so smooth and creamy. And loaded with flavor. One doesn’t need much to satisfy a sweet tooth or craving!
What is the Difference Between Ice Cream and Gelato?
When comparing recipes for both ice cream and gelato, the first thing I noticed was that ice cream required more heavy cream to whole milk, which means a higher fat content. And generally speaking, more sugar.
Another aspect that differentiated the two is that ice cream requires less time for churning than gelato. Not much time. A mere 5 minutes on my ICE-70 Series maker, but still a difference. Which may be one reason it is more dense than it’s airier ice cream cousin.
I’m not going to bore you with the scientific details of the two. No matter the differences between ice cream and gelato, my husband and I enjoy both types of frozen desserts! I hope you will give this homemade recipe a try.
Ingredients for Hazelnut Chocolate Espresso Gelato
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A Few Notes about Making Frozen Desserts
Instructions for Making this Recipe
Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Place 1 cup of whole milk in a large mixing bowl. Add to that the granulated sugar, cornstarch, espresso powder, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Whisk until everything is combined.
In a medium saucepan, add the remaining whole milk, along with the heavy whipping cream. Heat on medium-low heat until the milk warms. (Do not allow it to boil.)
Add to the warm milk the sugar mixture and whisk to combine.
Keeping the heat on medium-low, mix in the chocolate hazelnut spread and stir until it is incorporated into the milk. Continue stirring until the mixture slightly thickens. You’ll know when it’s ready when the cream coats the back of a spoon. This may take anywhere from 8-12 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Pour the mixture into a bowl or large jar and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
When ready to churn, stir the mixture (or shake the covered jar) to ensure everything is mixed well.
Press the GELATO setting on the ICE maker and then START the machine. Pour the mixture into the churning bucket. Cover with the cap. Allow to mix until thickened and the machine beeps or stops.
Quickly transfer the frozen gelato to a cold container. At this point, you may go ahead and serve the gelato or you may cover and freeze until ready to serve. If the dessert is too hard to scoop, allow it to set out for 10-12 minutes before serving.
Serve in a pretty bowl or dish, such as these Polish Pottery cups with spoons. This recipe will serve 8-10 people.
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Hazelnut Chocolate Espresso Gelato
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk (divided)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the Gelato Mix
- Place 1 cup of whole milk in a large mixing bowl. Add to that the granulated sugar, cornstarch, espresso powder, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Whisk until everything is combined.
- In a medium saucepan, add the remaining whole milk, along with the heavy whipping cream. Heat on medium-low heat until the milk warms. (Do not allow it to boil.)
- Add in the sugar mixture and whisk to combine.
- Keeping the heat on medium-low, mix in the chocolate hazelnut spread and stir until it is incorporated into the milk. Continue stirring until the mixture slightly thickens. (You'll know when it's ready when the cream coats the back of a spoon. This may take anywhere from 8-12 minutes.)
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow mixture to cool to room temperature. Pour into a bowl or large jar. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
- When ready to churn, stir the mixture (or shake the covered jar) to ensure everything is mixed well.
- Press the GELATO setting on the ice mixer and then START the machine. Pour the mixture into the churning bucket. Cover with the cap. Allow to mix until thickened and the machine beeps or stops, approximately 30 minutes.
- Quickly transfer the frozen gelato to a cold container.
- At this point, you may go ahead and serve the gelato or you may cover and freeze until ready to serve. If the dessert is too hard to scoop, allow it to set out for 10-12 minutes before serving.
- Serve in a pretty bowl or dish. This recipe will serve 8-10 people.
Nutrition