Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Make the chocolate-hazelnut custard
- Heat the whole milk, heavy cream, and Dutch process cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming, whisking to combine. Keep whisking until smooth and fragrant with cocoa.
- Whisk in the hazelnut paste or Nutella until fully smooth. Continue whisking until no streaks remain.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until pale. This should look lighter and slightly thickened.
- Slowly whisk the hot chocolate milk into the yolk mixture in a thin stream. Keep whisking to prevent scrambling.
- Return everything to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Scrape the bottom frequently so the custard thickens evenly.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and salt, then cool completely over an ice bath. Stir occasionally while it cools so it stays silky.
Churn and freeze
- Refrigerate the custard for at least 4 hours until well chilled. Cover to prevent a skin from forming.
- Churn in an ice cream maker on the lowest speed until it reaches a dense gelato texture. This should be thicker than typical soft-serve.
- Fold in the toasted hazelnuts and mix just until evenly distributed. Stop stirring as soon as the nuts are incorporated.
- Serve immediately for soft gelato, or freeze 1–2 hours for firmer texture. Use a container with a tight lid so it doesn’t absorb freezer odors.
Notes
Pro tip: Thicken the custard until it coats the back of a spoon and holds a line when you draw a finger through—don’t rush, because the final gelato texture depends on this step. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 day if served quickly after churning, or freeze up to 2 weeks (it freezes best for up to 1 week). For a dairy-free swap, use a plant-based whole-milk alternative plus a coconut-cream style heavy cream substitute, and keep the thickening step the same.