Dark Chocolate Gelato

This dark chocolate gelato is the Italian version of ice cream, but is silkier and softer making it the perfect dessert for any chocolate lover.

I can't get enough ice cream, from salted caramel ice cream to graham cracker ice cream. But have you ever had gelato?

When my dad was in town for Father's Day weekend, I had asked what he wanted me to make. He had two request - pizza and gelato. Since he is a chocolaholic, I knew I would make a chocolate gelato. And make no mistake, this gelato is loaded with chocolate.

When I was working for the Jacksonville Jaguars I lived pretty close to St. Augustine, which is the oldest city in the country for those unfamiliar with it.

They have a famous street called St. George Street that has tons of old buildings that have been transformed into restaurants, shops and boutiques. Oh and it's only walkable (no cars through here). So one weekend my dad visited and we were walking along St. George.

There was this gelato place called Cafe Del Hidalgo that I had been plenty of times before and mentioned to my dad if he wanted to try. As he has a big sweet tooth, I figured he'd say yes.

What I didn't know is that he had never actually had gelato before! This was crazy to me as he's just as big of a foodie as I am, but just has been around longer. Ever since trying it though, he's been as big of a gelato fan as me, hence him requesting some homemade dark chocolate gelato!

For those that don't know, gelato is Italian ice cream. It has a higher portion of milk to cream and eggs than regular ice cream and is also served at a warmer temperature so it's silkier and softer.

By using less fat, the main ingredient will really shine through, so in this case, dark chocolate. This dark chocolate gelato is not for the faint of heart if you don't like dark chocolate, as it is rich in chocolate flavor. But if you're craving chocolate, this is for you.

Jump to:

• Recipe Ingredients
• How to Make Homemade Gelato
• Gelato vs. Ice Cream
• What Ice Cream Maker Do You Use?
• Why Use Xanthan Gum in Gelato?
• Can You Make Homemade Gelato with Half-and-Half Instead of Heavy Cream?
• Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
• Other Ice Cream Recipes
• Dark Chocolate Gelato

Recipe Ingredients

• Whole milk - whole milk is important for the fat ratio.
• Heavy cream - less cream creates a silky texture.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder - use natural cocoa powder.
• Dark chocolate - quality dark chocolate between 62% and 75%.
• Eggs - gives extra richness and stabilizes the homemade gelato.
• Sugar - sweetens the gelato.
• Xanthan gum - helps reduce crystals when the gelato freezes.
• Salt and vanilla extract - enhances the flavor.

How to Make Homemade Gelato

1. Simmer milk and cream over medium-low heat in saucepan until temperature reaches 170°F. 
2. Whisk in the cocoa powder and chocolate until mixture is smooth.
3. Whisk egg yolks in bowl and gradually add sugar, salt and xanthan gum.
4. Slowly pour 1 cup of milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to temper them.
5. Add the egg yolk mixture back to the sauce pan over low heat and simmer until it reaches 185°F. 
6. Pour mixture through strainer and cool to room temperature. Place in fridge for 4 hours.
7. Stir in vanilla extract and add gelato mixture to ice cream machine, churning for about 20 minutes.
8. Transfer chocolate gelato to airtight container and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.

Gelato vs. Ice Cream

As mentioned before gelato is just Italian ice cream. It is made with a higher milk to cream ratio and is denser than American ice cream. It is also served at warmer temperatures so your mouth is better able to taste it.

What Ice Cream Maker Do You Use?

It may be the cheapest one available, but the 1.5 quart Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker is super simple to use and makes the best gelato at home.

Why Use Xanthan Gum in Gelato?

So this was actually something new I learned by watching the Tasty video. Xanthan gum helps stabilize the gelato and prevents ice crystals from forming.

The usual problem with homemade gelato is it will only lasts a couple of days before ice crystals form. But the xanthan gum helps battle this.

Can You Make Homemade Gelato with Half-and-Half Instead of Heavy Cream?

You can although I highly recommend trying to use whole milk and heavy cream as the high fat content creates the creamy texture when the gelato is cooled.

Nearly any type of milk will work, and you can substitute half-and-half for the cream. But just keep in mind, it won’t be as creamy and could get icy.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

• Use the best ingredients – when making gelato you want to use the best ingredients possible so use free-range eggs and organic milk and cream. Also use high quality products when it comes to added flavorings like vanilla or chocolate. Never use imitation vanilla.
• Add extract at right time – if you add an extract or alcohol while the custard is too hot, you won’t get the actual flavor as it will cook out slightly. Just wait until right before you pour the custard into the ice cream maker to add it.
• Chill the custard – you don’t necessarily need to chill the custard overnight, but you want to chill until it is as cold as possible.
• Use frozen bowl – make sure your ice cream bowl has been frozen for at least 24 hours, otherwise you aren’t giving the gelato a great chance of freeze.
• Start ice cream motor first – do not pour the custard in the frozen bowl before starting the ice cream maker. It will start freezing upon contact. You want the motor running and slowly pour the custard in.
• Don’t overchurn – always error on the side of caution when it comes to churning your homemade gelato. You do not want it to be hard. Remember it will continue to freeze once you place in the freezer.
• Keep it creamy – homemade gelato can turn hard as we don’t add preservatives, however xanthan gum or a couple tablespoon of vodka will help keep it creamy.

Other Ice Cream Recipes

• Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
• S'mores Ice Cream
• Peppermint Ice Cream
• Cherry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream
• Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

If you’ve tried this dark chocolate gelato or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.