Real Strawberry Gelato Recipe
This strawberry gelato is smoother and denser than regular ice cream. It’s made with less air whipped in, so the texture is creamier and more intense in flavor. Plus, gelato usually has less fat since it uses more milk than cream. It’s kind of like a thicker, richer cousin to ice cream but not as heavy. If you’ve only had ice cream, gelato might feel silkier and less frozen solid, which is a nice change.
Equipment
- Blender
- Saucepan
- Mixing bowl
- Ice cream maker
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh strawberries hulled and chopped
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Put the strawberries and half the sugar in a bowl and mash them a bit with a fork or spoon. Let them sit for 10 minutes so they get juicy. It’s funny how strawberries get all soft and syrupy without cooking.
- In a saucepan, heat the milk, cream, and the rest of the sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves but don’t let it boil. Stir now and then because sugar likes to hide at the bottom.
- Blend the strawberries with their juice, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth. It might take a minute or two depending on your blender’s mood.
- Mix the strawberry puree into the warm milk mixture and cool it down in the fridge for about an hour. Waiting is the hardest part here.
- Pour the chilled mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. It usually takes 20-30 minutes. If you don’t have one, freezing in a container and stirring every 30 minutes works but it’s not as smooth.
- Once churned, put the gelato in a container and freeze for at least 2 hours to firm up. Gelato is best eaten a bit softer than ice cream though, so don’t forget to take it out a little early.
Notes
Gelato uses more milk and less cream than regular ice cream, which means it has less fat and a denser texture because it’s churned slower with less air. That’s why it feels silkier and melts faster. Keep it in the coldest part of your freezer if you want to keep it from turning into a block.