Gelato Cioccolato

Italian Chocolate Gelato (Gelato al Cioccolato)

Gelato al Cioccolato is Italy's iconic dense, intensely chocolate frozen dessert. Unlike American ice cream, true gelato has less air (overrun) and less fat, which is why milk dominates the base.

Prep

15 min

Cook

15 min

Total

30 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 ml (2 cups + 2 tbsp) whole milk, full-fat, essential for texture
• •150 ml (⅔ cup) heavy cream, 35% fat
• •180 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) granulated sugar
• •30 g (¼ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch-process for darker color
• •150 g (5¼ oz) dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped, or good semi-sweet
• •4 g (¾ tsp) carrageenan or guar gum, stabilizer, optional but traditional in commercial gelato; xanthan gum (½ tsp) works at home
• •1 pinch fine sea salt

Steps

1. 1 In a heavy saucepan, whisk together the milk, cream, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Place over medium heat and warm, whisking constantly, until the mixture just begins to steam and the cocoa is fully dissolved — about 4 minutes. Do not let it boil.
2. 2 Remove from the heat and add the chopped dark chocolate. Whisk gently until the chocolate is completely melted and the base is glossy and smooth.
3. 3 If using carrageenan or guar/xanthan gum, sprinkle it over the surface now and whisk vigorously for 30 seconds to fully hydrate and prevent lumps.
4. 4 Cool the mixture to room temperature, then cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. The base must be thoroughly cold (around 4 °C / 39 °F) before churning.
5. 5 Pour the chilled base into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions, typically 20–30 minutes, until it reaches the soft-serve stage (about -4 °C / 25 °F).
6. 6 Transfer the churned gelato to a lidded container, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent ice crystals, and freeze for 2–4 hours until it firms up to a scoopable consistency. True Italian gelato is served slightly softer than American ice cream — pull it from the freezer 10–15 minutes before serving.
7. 7 Safety note: consume within 2 weeks for best texture. If using raw-egg yolks in any variation, the base must reach 71 °C / 160 °F to be safe; this recipe is egg-free so no extra step is needed.