Makes about1 qt
- Active time:30 min
- Start to finish:4 hr
August 2009
The satiny hazelnut-flavored chocolate called gianduia—named for the masked character Gianduia of the centuries-old Italian commedia dell’arte—makes for a gelato that is suave and intense.
-
2
cups
hazelnuts (8 oz), toasted (see Tips), skins rubbed off, and cooled
-
3/4
cup
sugar
-
1/8
teaspoon
salt
-
4 1/2
cups
whole milk
-
3
tablespoons
cornstarch
-
bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% cacao), finely chopped
-
Equipment:
an ice cream maker
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Pulse hazelnuts with sugar and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a heavy saucepan with milk and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, 20 minutes.
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Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then return to cleaned saucepan.
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Put 1/4 cup milk mixture in a small bowl and whisk in cornstarch. Return to saucepan, then boil over medium heat 2 minutes, whisking often (mixture will be thick). Remove from heat and add chocolate, stirring until melted and incorporated. Chill, stirring occassionally, until very cold, 3 to 6 hours.
-
Freeze mixture in ice cream maker. Transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to firm up.
Cooks’ note: Gelato keeps 1 week.
