Stracciatella Gelato

I know that fall is upon us but I just had to squeeze this gelato recipe in, it’s just too good not to share.  Stracciatella Gelato was a favorite treat that both my son and I obsessed over while in Italy this past summer.  Literally every other day we would get this gelato flavor when walking through the small Italian villages in the Tuscan countryside.

The creaminess of the vanilla base with fine shards of chocolate throughout each scoop makes Straciatella Gelato a favorite in my family.  Many might compare this gelato to a chocolate chip ice cream but they are not even on the same level.  Stracciatella Gelato is just simply DIVINE, there is no other way to describe it!

Stracciatella is made by drizzling a fine stream of melted chocolate into the gelato while it churns. The chocolate hardens on contact, freezing into delicate flakes within the gelato and literally melt in your mouth.

For those of you wondering what the difference is between Ice Cream and Gelato let me explain.  Gelato starts out with a similar custard base as ice cream, but has a higher proportion of milk and a lower proportion of cream and eggs (or no eggs at all). Churning is at a much slower rate, incorporating less air and leaving the gelato thicker than ice cream.  Because there is a lower proportion of cream and eggs, gelato is typically lower in calories and fat.  So somewhat healthier for you but just as indulgent.

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups whole milk
• 1 Vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 3/4 Cup sugar
• 5 large egg yolks
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1/2 Cup chilled heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 Cup dark chocolate chips
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Directions:

Place milk in a medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; and add the bean as well.

Bring to a simmer, whisking often so the milk does not burn.

In a separate medium sized  bowl whisk sugar, yolks, and salt until well blended.

Slowly whisk hot milk mixture into yolk mixture.  You want to ensure you incorporate the hot milk very slowly as to not cook the yolks.

Return mixture to saucepan; stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens, about 5 minutes.  Make sure the custard does not boil.

Using a strainer pour mixture into a medium bowl and remove vanilla bean pod.

Stir in cream and chill gelato base until cold, at least 2 hours.

While gelato base is chilling in the refrigerator make the chocolate.  Stir chocolate and oil in a small sauce-pan over low heat until melted; let cool.

Pour gelato base in an ice cream maker, I use a Cuisinart similar to this one.   Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker

Churn for about 25 minutes.  Slowly add all but 1 tsp. melted chocolate during the last 30 seconds of churning (chocolate will form small shards in gelato).

Transfer to a freezer safe bowl and drizzle remaining chocolate over gelato creating zigzag lines.

Freeze or serve immediately in some super cute ice cream bowls like these Bormioli bowls from Amazon!