Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Make the chocolate-hazelnut mixture
- Heat the whole milk and heavy cream with the Dutch process cocoa powder in a saucepan until steaming, then whisk in the hazelnut paste or Nutella until smooth and glossy.
- Whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornstarch together until pale, then slowly pour in the hot chocolate milk while whisking constantly to temper.
Cook to thicken
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Cool and chill
- Stir in the vanilla extract and salt, then cool completely over an ice bath until the custard is no longer hot.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours until very cold.
Churn and finish
- Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker on the lowest speed until it reaches a dense gelato texture.
- Fold in the toasted hazelnuts, then serve immediately or freeze 1-2 hours to firm up.
Notes
For the smoothest gelato, strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve after thickening if you notice any eggy bits. Store in the freezer in an airtight container up to 2 weeks; for best scoopability, let it sit at room temperature 5 minutes before serving. To make a dairy-free version, use full-fat coconut milk and swap the heavy cream with a coconut-cream alternative, keeping the rest of the method the same.