Hazelnut Gelato (Nocciola Gelato)
Serves 1510 mins prep10 mins cook
Hazelnut gelato is so creamy and irresistibly delicious. This is an easy recipe that uses lots of hazelnuts, making the gelato incredibly flavorful and rich. Below the recipe card I also have easier ways to make it using ready-made hazelnut paste.
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What you need
Instructions
0 Prep hazelnuts: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast until the skins start to crack and nuts become fragrant, about [timer minutes=10]10 to 15 minutes[/timer]. Remove from the oven and let them cool. Place the roasted hazelnuts between two layers of kitchen towels and rub to loosen the skin. Pinch off any stubborn skin using your fingers. Tip: I use ready-made skinned hazelnuts from Costco and toast it for [timer minutes=8]8 minutes[/timer]. 1 Soak hazelnuts: In a medium saucepan, heat 2¼ cups milk over medium-high, but do not let it boil. Add 2 cups hazelnuts (preferably coarsely chopped), stir, cover and refrigerate overnight. 2 Blend the hazelnuts: Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender such as Vitamix, and blend at high speed until smooth, but don’t over-blend it or it will be difficult to strain it later. Tip: Alternatively, make hazelnut paste (see notes below) and mix it with the milk, eliminating the need for straining later. 3 Strain the mixture: Pour the hazelnut-milk mixture through cheesecloth or a nut bag to remove any solids. Stir occasionally to dislodge solids lining the cloth. 4 Thicken the nut milk: Do this only if nut milk is not thick like a flowing custard. In a large saucepan, heat the hazelnut-milk mixture over medium-high, stirring constantly. Do not let it boil.Dissolve corn starch in ¼ cup plain milk until smooth. Lower the heat and whisk in the corn starch-milk mixture. Simmer until the mixture reaches a thin custard consistency or coats the back of a spoon, about [timer minutes=6]6 minutes[/timer]. Remove from heat and cool on an ice bath. 5 Add other ingredients: Add sugar, a pinch of salt, color (if using), milk powder, remaining milk (if not used for thickening), and hazelnut extract until well combined. Adjust sugar to taste. Then stir in heavy cream. 6 Chill the mixture: Refrigerate the mixture overnight, or use an ice bath for faster chilling. 7 Freeze the gelato: Follow the ice cream maker's instructions to freeze the mixture. 8 Chocolate Sauce: Warm the cream and instant coffee in a pan until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the melted chocolate until smooth. Add hazelnut extract and mix well. 9 Serve: Scoop the ice cream into bowls and top with the chocolate sauce, then sprinkle the reserved chopped nuts.View original recipe