Make a batch of the iconic stracciatella flavored Italian gelato at home. This recipe will teach you all of the best tips and tricks that I learned from going to culinary school in Italy.
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After traveling around Italy and attending Italian culinary school, I fell in love with gelato. While I love pretty much every flavor of gelato (be sure to check out all my gelato recipes), stracciatella is one of my favorites.
Not only do you get a super creamy gelato, but there is chocolate spread perfectly throughout every bite.
I'll teach you how to make this authentic version of Italian stracciatella, plus share a few special tips and tricks that I learned in culinary school.
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What You'll Learn In This Recipe
- The special ingredients you'll need to make authentic Italian gelato at home.
- How to mix chocolate into the gelato to create the classic stracciatella flavor.
- My favorite machine to make gelato with.
Don't forget to grab all of my favorite, go-to Italian gelato recipes, plus my best tips for making gelato at home.
Ingredients You Need
There are some specialty ingredients you'll need to make stracciatella gelato. But don't worry, everything can be found on Amazon (I've linked them below in the recipe card).
- Dextrose: This is a type of sugar that helps to reduce both the perceived sweetness and the freezing point of the gelato.
- Guar gum and locust bean gum: These are both types of stabilizers, and they're used to thicken the gelato. These are imperative if you're making gelato at home since an at-home ice cream machine will whip too much air into the gelato without the addition of these stabilizers.
- 2% milk: The milk helps with the texture and taste of the gelato. Since milk has a high water content, it's also the reason the gelato base can freeze.
- Granulated sugar: This is the second type of sugar used in gelato. The ratio of sugar helps to determine how quickly the gelato will melt as well as lowers the freezing temperature of the gelato base.
- Skim (nonfat) milk powder: The powdered milk is important to help thicken the gelato and provide the correct texture.
- Heavy cream: You may see this ingredient labeled as heavy whipping cream at the grocery store. The cream provides a great taste and mouthfeel.
- Chocolate: I prefer a semi-sweet chocolate for this recipe, but you could also use a dark chocolate. Always make sure to purchase a high-quality chocolate with delicious taste.
How To Make This Recipe
1. Whisk dextrose, guar gum, and locust bean gum in a small mixing bowl.
2. Next, cook the milk in a heavy bottom saucepan (something that has a thick bottom so the milk doesn't easily burn) over medium heat until it reaches 105°F (40°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
3. Once it reaches temperature, whisk in granulated sugar and nonfat milk powder.
4. Once dissolved, whisk in the dextrose mixture. Continue cooking the gelato base over medium heat, stirring often to ensure it doesn’t burn until it reaches 195°F (90°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
5. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in heavy cream.
6. Place a fine mesh strainer over the empty bowl on top of the ice bath and strain the gelato base. This will catch any large clumps that could mess up the gelato texture. Chill the gelato base until it has stopped steaming. Then, cover the base with plastic wrap and rest it in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
7. Pour the gelato base into an ice cream maker and process for about 20 - 25 minutes, or according to the manufacturer's directions. During the last few minutes of churning, slowly pour the melted chocolate into the gelato.
8. The gelato will be on the soft side. Transfer the churned gelato into a chilled storage container. Place the gelato into the freezer to "cure" or harden up for a few hours.
Expert Tips
- Allow the gelato base to cool completely before churning. If you want your fior di latte gelato to properly freeze in the machine, it has to be super cold (around 40 - 42°F or 4°C - 7°C). Don't try churning the gelato while it's still hot, or you'll end up with a soupy mess.
- Don't forget to place the ice cream machine bowl in the freezer 24 hours before churning if you don't have a built-in freezer compressor.
- Want to serve gelato like they do in Italy? Use a gelato spatula then swipe the gelato and smash it down on the side of the container to remove the air before serving
Recipe FAQs
Store gelato in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. It's best to keep the gelato in a freezer that's not often opened and closed. Every time the temperature of the gelato increases and then refreezes, there's more of a chance for the gelato to become icy/grainy. If you notice the gelato is icy or grainy, it has gone past its prime.
Yes, if you prefer dark chocolate, you can use it instead of semi-sweet chocolate. Just be sure to buy high-quality chocolate that tastes delicious.
I use this Whynter machine and love the results it gives me. The Lello machine is pricier but also delivers amazing gelato.
More Gelato Recipes
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below. Don't forget to follow along on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest for more recipes.
Italian Stracciatella Gelato
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon dextrose
- ¼ teaspoon guar gum
- ⅛ teaspoon locust bean gum
- 2 cups 2% milk
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons nonfat milk powder
- 1 ¼ cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
Instructions
- Fill a large bowl with ice to use later as an ice bath. Place an empty bowl on top of the ice. Set aside. Place a storage container in the freezer to chill.
- Whisk dextrose, guar gum, and locust bean gum in a small mixing bowl.
- Cook milk in a heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 105°F (40°C) on an instant read thermometer. Once it reaches temperature, whisk in granulated sugar and nonfat milk powder. Once dissolved, whisk in dextrose mixture.
- Continue cooking the gelato base over medium heat, stirring often to ensure it doesn’t burn, until it reaches 195°F (90°C) on an instant read thermometer.
- Remove saucepan from heat. Whisk in heavy cream.
- Place a fine mesh strainer over the empty bowl on top of the ice bath. Strain gelato base.
- Chill gelato base until it has stopped steaming. Press plastic wrap against the surface of the gelato (to prevent a skin from forming on top) then cover with plastic wrap and rest in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- Remove the gelato base from the refrigerator, and whisk to reincorporate. Pour the gelato base into an ice cream maker and process for about 20 - 25 minutes, or according to the manufacturer's directions. The gelato will be on the soft side. While the gelato is churning, add chocolate to a heat safe glass bowl. Heat in the microwave on 50 percent power (medium) for 30 seconds. Stir chocolate mixture, and heat for an additional 30 seconds. Repeat as needed until the chocolate morsels are fully melted. During the last few minutes of the churning process, while the gelato is still on the soft side, slowly drizzle in the melted chocolate.
- Transfer churned gelato into chilled storage container. Place gelato into the freezer to "cure" or harden up for a few hours. To serve, swipe the frozen gelato with a flat paddle. Smash the gelato on the side of the storage container to push out some of the air. Transfer to a serving bowl.
- Store gelato in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
Bella
I'm obsessed with this recipe! It tastes exactly likes the ones I ate in Italy! 10/10!!