Vanilla Bean Gelato

A luxuriously rich and creamy vanilla gelato made from scratch using real vanilla beans, milk, cream, sugar and egg yolks.

Vanilla Bean Gelato

  • Servings: 800 ml (0.85 quarts) of gelato mix

Gelato has a smoother texture than ice cream due to less air whipped in during churning. This recipe for Vanilla Bean Gelato is a labor of love, but the results are worth it. The gelato is rich and creamy, with a strong vanilla flavor that comes from using fresh vanilla beans. The recipe also includes detailed instructions for pasteurizing the mix and achieving the perfect texture.

Ingredients

  • Cream
  • Milk
  • Sugar
  • Skimmed milk powder
  • Inulin
  • Egg yolks
  • 1 large grade A (or ‘black’) Bourbon vanilla bean.

Directions

  • Fill a large bowl with cubes of ice. Place a zip-lock bag next to the bowl ready for later.
  • Run a sharp knife down the vanilla pod to separate it into two. Scrape out the sticky material containing the small black beans into a small bowl. Dice the two vanilla pod halves into small pieces or, preferably, grind in a coffee or spice grinder. Add to the bowl containing the sticky material and set aside for later.
  • Before you combine your ingredients, weigh your pan and note down its weight.
  • In your pan, combine the sugar and egg yolks. Add the cream, milk, skimmed milk powder, and inulin. Stir well.
  • Over a medium heat, bring your mix up to 75°C (167°F) whilst constantly stirring; this usually takes me between 13 and 15 minutes.
  • Once the temperature reaches 75°C (167°F), turn the heat down to low, move your pan about 1/4 of the way off the heat, and continue heating and stirring until the temperature slowly reaches 77