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Strawberry Gelato

Strawberry gelato is an Italian-style frozen dessert made with a custard base, strained fresh strawberry puree, and a dense churn for a silky texture. This homemade gelato recipe delivers vivid pink-red color and intense berry flavor that’s brighter than American ice cream.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chilling + freezing 4 hours 20 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 2 cup fresh strawberries hulled
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar divided
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 cup whole milk
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 ice cream maker
  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 whisk

Method
 

Make the strawberry puree
  1. Blend the fresh strawberries with 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and lemon juice until smooth, then strain to remove seeds and set aside.
  2. Reserve the strained strawberry puree so it’s ready to mix into the finished custard.
Cook the custard base
  1. Heat the whole milk and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming, not boiling, about 3–5 minutes (visual cue: steam rising from the surface).
  2. Whisk the egg yolks, remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and cornstarch until smooth and pale, about 2 minutes.
  3. Slowly whisk the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture in a thin stream to temper, keeping it smooth (visual cue: uniform, thickening custard).
  4. Return everything to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened like a pudding—about 5 minutes (visual cue: a spoon leaves a clear trail).
  5. Remove from heat and stir in the strawberry puree and vanilla extract until the mixture turns vivid pink-red and silky.
Chill and churn
  1. Cool completely over an ice bath until no longer warm, about 10–15 minutes (visual cue: mixture noticeably cool to the touch).
  2. Refrigerate at least 4 hours to fully chill (visual cue: mixture is cold and set slightly).
  3. Churn in an ice cream maker on the lowest setting until dense and gelato-style, then serve soft immediately.
  4. For firmer gelato, transfer to a container and freeze for 1–2 hours before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: temper the eggs slowly and stir constantly while thickening so you get a smooth custard without scrambled bits. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days (best texture after 24 hours); freeze up to 2 months—let sit 5 minutes for easy scooping. For a lighter option, substitute whole milk with 2% milk and use reduced-fat cream; texture will be slightly less dense.