Nut & Gianduja Gelato

Nut gelatos extract maximum flavor through toasting and steeping. Gianduja builds combine nuts with chocolate for rich, complex profiles.

Classic Hazelnut Gelato

Pure hazelnut through steep-and-strain method.

Ingredients

Component	1x	2x
Sous vide custard
Hazelnuts, skin-on	185g	370g
Whole milk	245g (1 c)	490g (2 c)
Heavy cream	238g (1 c)	476g (2 c)
Egg yolks	100g (5 large)	200g (10 large)
Granulated sugar	150g	300g
Fine sea salt	2g	4g
Vanilla extract	5g	10g

Yield: ~710g strained base → ~860ml churned (1x)

Method

1. Toast hazelnuts: Spread on sheet pan. Roast at 165°C / 325°F for 12–15 min until golden throughout—crack one open to verify. Skins will darken and split.

2. Rub skins: While hot, rub nuts in clean towel to remove most loose skins. Some clinging skin adds depth.

3. Chop: Coarsely chop warm nuts—don’t powder. Pieces should be 3–5mm.

4. Combine: Add nuts, milk, cream, sugar, and salt to quart mason jar. Add whisked yolks.

5. Sous vide: 82.8°C / 181°F for 50 min. Nuts steep and infuse during cooking.

6. Extended steep: After cooking, rest jar 30 min for deeper extraction.

7. Strain: Pour through fine-mesh strainer. Press nuts firmly to extract oils—this is where the flavor concentrates.

8. Finish: Add vanilla to strained base. Age minimum 4 hrs.

9. Churn: Process to -6°C / 21°F.

Note

Fresh hazelnuts make a significant difference. Source from quality suppliers; old nuts taste rancid. Store in freezer until use.

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Pistachio Gelato

Vibrant green with distinctive pistachio flavor.

Ingredients

Component	1x	2x
Sous vide custard
Raw pistachios, shelled	150g	300g
Whole milk	245g (1 c)	490g (2 c)
Heavy cream	200g (generous ¾ c)	400g (generous 1½ c)
Egg yolks	100g (5 large)	200g (10 large)
Granulated sugar	140g	280g
Almond extract	3g	6g
Fine sea salt	2g	4g

Yield: ~700g strained base → ~850ml churned (1x)

Method

1. Toast lightly: Spread pistachios on pan. Toast at 150°C / 300°F for 8 min only—longer cooking mutes green color and delicate flavor.

2. Chop coarse: Rough chop to 3–5mm pieces.

3. Steep: Combine nuts with milk, cream, sugar, and salt in jar. Add whisked yolks.

4. Sous vide: 82.8°C / 181°F for 50 min.

5. Extended steep: Rest 45 min for maximum extraction.

6. Strain and press: Filter through fine mesh. Press firmly.

7. Finish: Add almond extract—traditional enhancement for pistachio. Age, churn.

Color Enhancement (Optional)

For more vibrant green without artificial dye:

• Add 15g raw pistachio paste after straining
• Or: Blanch 30g raw pistachios, blend to paste, fold into strained base

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Almond Gelato

Clean, nutty, versatile base for many pairings.

Ingredients

Component	1x	2x
Sous vide custard
Blanched almonds	175g	350g
Whole milk	245g (1 c)	490g (2 c)
Heavy cream	220g (scant 1 c)	440g (scant 2 c)
Egg yolks	100g (5 large)	200g (10 large)
Granulated sugar	145g	290g
Almond extract	5g	10g
Fine sea salt	2g	4g

Yield: ~715g strained base → ~860ml churned (1x)

Method

1. Toast: Spread blanched almonds on pan. Toast at 165°C / 325°F for 10–12 min until golden throughout.

2. Chop: Coarse chop while warm.

3. Steep and cook: Combine in jar. Sous vide 82.8°C / 181°F for 50 min.

4. Press well: Almond oils are valuable. Press firmly through fine mesh.

5. Finish: Add extract. Age, churn.

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Hazelnut Gianduja Gelato

The classic chocolate-hazelnut combination.

Ingredients

Component	1x	2x
Sous vide custard
Hazelnuts, skin-on	185g	370g
Whole milk	245g (1 c)	490g (2 c)
Heavy cream	238g (1 c)	476g (2 c)
Egg yolks	100g (5 large)	200g (10 large)
Granulated sugar	150g	300g
Fine sea salt	2g	4g
Chocolate build
Heavy cream	238g (1 c)	476g (2 c)
Milk chocolate, 38–42%	115g	230g
Vanilla extract	5g	10g

Yield: ~950g base → ~1140ml churned (1x)

Method

1. Toast and steep hazelnuts: Toast at 165°C / 325°F for 12–15 min. Rub skins. Chop coarse.

2. Custard: Combine nuts with milk, first cream portion, sugar, salt, and yolks. Sous vide 82.8°C / 181°F for 50 min. Steep additional 30 min.

3. Prep chocolate: While custard cooks, finely chop chocolate into bowl.

4. Scald cream: Heat second cream portion to 85°C / 185°F.

5. Build ganache: Pour scalded cream over chocolate. Rest 30 sec. Whisk from center out until smooth.

6. Combine: Strain hot custard directly into ganache. Whisk thoroughly.

7. Emulsify: Blend with immersion blender 30 sec.

8. Finish: Add vanilla once below 40°C. Age minimum 6 hrs—gianduja improves dramatically overnight.

9. Churn: Process to -6°C / 21°F.

Note

Gianduja traditionally uses milk chocolate for sweetness and smoothness. Dark chocolate (64%+) creates a more intense, sophisticated variation—reduce custard sugar by 20g if using.

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Dark Chocolate Pistachio Gianduja

Elegant combination of dark chocolate with pistachio.

Ingredients

Component	1x	2x
Sous vide custard
Raw pistachios	150g	300g
Whole milk	245g (1 c)	490g (2 c)
Heavy cream	200g (generous ¾ c)	400g (generous 1½ c)
Egg yolks	100g (5 large)	200g (10 large)
Granulated sugar	140g	280g
Fine sea salt	2g	4g
Chocolate build
Heavy cream	180g (¾ c)	360g (1½ c)
Dark chocolate, 64%	100g	200g
Vanilla extract	5g	10g

Yield: ~900g base → ~1080ml churned (1x)

Method

Follow Hazelnut Gianduja method with pistachio modifications:

• Toast pistachios lightly (8 min at 150°C)
• Steep 45 min for delicate flavor extraction
• Use dark chocolate for sophistication

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Peanut Butter Gelato

American classic with Italian technique.

Ingredients

Component	1x	2x
Sous vide custard
Whole milk	300g (1¼ c)	600g (2½ c)
Heavy cream	180g (¾ c)	360g (1½ c)
Egg yolks	100g (5 large)	200g (10 large)
Granulated sugar	120g	240g
Fine sea salt	3g	6g
Peanut butter build
Creamy peanut butter (no sugar added)	120g	240g
Vanilla extract	5g	10g

Yield: ~800g base → ~960ml churned (1x)

Method

1. Custard: Combine milk, cream, sugar, salt, and yolks in jar. Sous vide 82.8°C / 181°F for 50 min.

2. Combine: Strain hot custard into bowl with peanut butter. Whisk vigorously until completely smooth.

3. Emulsify: Blend with immersion blender to ensure no oil separation.

4. Finish: Add vanilla. Age, churn.

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Troubleshooting

Issue	Cause	Fix
Weak nut flavor	Under-toasted or insufficient pressing	Toast darker; press firmly; steep longer
Grainy texture	Nut particles passed through	Use finer strainer; double-strain
Bitter hazelnut	Skins over-charred	Remove most skins; toast to golden, not brown
Pale pistachio	Over-toasted	Toast only 8 min; add raw paste for color
Oil separation	Peanut butter not emulsified	Blend thoroughly; ensure hot custard when combining
Chocolate seized	Water introduced	Blend with additional warm cream to recover

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Nut Paste Alternative

For more intense flavor, use commercial nut pastes:

Paste	Amount per Qt	Notes
Hazelnut praline	100g	Replace steep; adds sweetness
Pistachio paste	80g	Intense green; reduce sugar by 20g
Almond paste	90g	Very concentrated; adjust to taste

Add paste to strained custard base while still warm. Blend to incorporate.

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Mix-In Pairings

Base	Swirl/Mix-In	Amount per Qt
Hazelnut	Fudge ribbons	70g
Pistachio	Raspberry ribbon	75g
Almond	Cherry ribbon + almond extract	80g + 3g
Hazelnut gianduja	Gianduja swirl	60g
Peanut butter	Chocolate fudge + brownie pieces	50g + 50g