Lean Custard Base

The foundational gelato base. Lower fat content allows delicate flavors to shine—ideal for fruit, herbs, tea, and light infusions. Sous vide cooking ensures consistent results without risk of curdling.

Characteristics

Property	Value
Fat %	~9.8%
MSNF	~9.1%
Total sugar	~13.6%
PAC	~216
Target overrun	25–35%
Character	Clean, flavor-forward, elastic

Formula

Component	1 Qt	2 Qt	3 Qt	4 Qt
Custard
Whole milk	340g	680g	1020g	1360g
Heavy cream (36%)	120g	240g	360g	480g
Egg yolks	100g (5 large)	200g (10)	300g (15)	400g (20)
Granulated sugar	75g	150g	225g	300g
Dextrose	30g	60g	90g	120g
Skim milk powder	25g	50g	75g	100g
Fine sea salt	1.5g	3g	4.5g	6g
Base total	~691g	~1383g	~2074g	~2766g

Vessel Requirements

Batch	Quart Jars	Base per Jar
1 Qt	1	~691g
2 Qt	2	~691g each
3 Qt	3	~691g each
4 Qt	4	~691g each

Calculated Values

Fat Breakdown

Source	Amount (1 Qt)	Fat Contribution
Heavy cream (36%)	120g	43.2g
Whole milk (3.5%)	340g	11.9g
Egg yolks (30%)	100g	30.0g
Total fat		85.1g

Fat % = 85.1g / 691g × 100 = 12.3%

Note

This calculation includes egg-yolk fat, so the total is ~12.3%. The dairy-only fat—the traditional measure in Italian gelato formulation—is just (120g cream × 36% + 340g milk × 3.5%) / ~691g ≈ 8.0%. The ~9.8% characteristics figure sits between this dairy-only basis and the yolk-inclusive total.

PAC Calculation

Sugar	Amount (1 Qt)	PAC Value	Contribution
Sucrose	75g	100	7,500
Dextrose	30g	190	5,700
Lactose (in milk ~5%)	~17g	100	1,700
Total			14,900

PAC = 14,900 / 691g × 10 ≈ 216

Method

Prepare Dry Ingredients

In a bowl, whisk together sugar, dextrose, skim milk powder, and salt until homogeneous. This dry blend will disperse evenly without clumping.

Combine Wet Ingredients

In a large bowl or pitcher, whisk egg yolks until smooth. Gradually whisk in the dry blend until fully incorporated. Add milk and cream; whisk until homogeneous.

Fill Jars

Divide base evenly among quart mason jars. Leave minimum 25mm (1”) headspace. If adding sous vide steeping ingredients (vanilla bean, spices, toasted nuts), add now, divided equally among jars.

Seal Jars

Apply lids and finger-tighten only—do not fully seal. This allows pressure release during cooking and prevents jar breakage.

Sous Vide Cook

Place jars in preheated 181°F / 82.8°C water bath. Cook 50 minutes. At 25 minutes, gently swirl each jar to redistribute contents.

Strain

Immediately strain hot custard through fine-mesh strainer into clean container. Press solids to extract all liquid if steeping ingredients were used.

Cool

Place container in ice bath, stirring occasionally, until temperature drops below 40°C / 104°F (about 20–30 minutes). Alternatively, cool jars directly in ice bath before straining.

Add Extracts (Optional)

Once below 40°C, add any extracts or alcohol-based flavorings. Stir to combine.

Age

Cover and refrigerate minimum 4 hours, preferably overnight (12–24 hours). Base should be thoroughly chilled to 4°C / 40°F.

Churn

Pour aged base into ice cream maker. Churn until temperature reaches –6°C / 21°F. Base will be thick but still soft enough to fold.

Pack and Harden

Transfer immediately to pre-chilled storage container. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Freeze at –18°C / 0°F minimum 4 hours before serving.

Sous Vide Parameters

Parameter	Value
Temperature	181°F / 82.8°C
Time	50 minutes
Agitation	Swirl at 25 minutes
Vessel	Quart mason jar, lid finger-tight
Headspace	Minimum 25mm / 1”

Caution

Do not exceed 185°F / 85°C. Higher temperatures produce eggy off-flavors and can cause protein coagulation (grainy texture).

Flavor Extraction Options

This base accommodates multiple extraction methods:

Sous Vide Extraction (During Cook)

Add to jars before cooking:

• Vanilla bean (split, seeds scraped)
• Toasted nuts (rough chopped)
• Whole spices (cinnamon, star anise, cardamom)
• Hardy herbs (thyme, rosemary, bay)

Cold Steep (After Cook, Before Churn)

Add to strained, cooled base; steep in refrigerator 12–24 hours:

• Delicate herbs (mint, basil)
• Coffee beans (whole)
• Tea leaves
• Citrus zest

Post-Strain Addition

Add to base after straining while still warm:

• Chocolate (pour hot custard over chopped chocolate)
• Caramel (fold warm caramel into warm base)

Post-Cool Addition

Add once base is below 40°C:

• Vanilla extract
• Other extracts
• Spirits and liqueurs
• Fruit purées (for some applications)

Scaling Notes

This formula scales linearly. For non-standard batch sizes:

Ingredient amount = (1 Qt amount) × (desired yield in Qt)

Example: 1.5 Qt batch

• Whole milk: 340g × 1.5 = 510g
• Heavy cream: 120g × 1.5 = 180g
• (etc.)

Variations

Lighter Version (8% Fat)

Reduce cream, increase milk:

Component	1 Qt
Whole milk	400g
Heavy cream	80g
(other ingredients unchanged)

Richer Version (12% Fat)

Increase cream, reduce milk:

Component	1 Qt
Whole milk	280g
Heavy cream	180g
(other ingredients unchanged)

Reduced Sweetness

For chocolate or caramel flavors where base sweetness competes:

Component	1 Qt
Granulated sugar	60g
Trehalose	25g
Dextrose	30g

This reduces POD approximately 4% with a slight PAC increase.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Cause	Solution
Eggy flavor	Temperature exceeded 185°F	Monitor carefully; use reliable thermometer
Grainy texture	Protein coagulation	Strain immediately; don’t overcook
Too sweet	Sugar balance off	Reduce sucrose, maintain dextrose for PAC
Too hard when frozen	PAC too low	Increase dextrose by 10–15g
Too soft	PAC too high	Decrease dextrose, increase sucrose
Weak body	Under-aged	Age minimum 4 hours
Icy texture	Insufficient MSNF or improper storage	Increase SMP; ensure stable freezer temp

Storage

Condition	Duration
Aged base (unchurned)	72 hours refrigerated
Churned, hardened	2 weeks optimal, 2 months maximum
Tempered for service	Serve immediately; do not refreeze

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Best for: Vanilla, fruit infusions, herb/floral, tea, light nut flavors, stracciatella

Not ideal for: Heavy chocolate, rich caramel, dense nut (use Rich Custard Base instead)