Il Cucinologo
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Stracciatella Gelato

17/11/2023

Stracciatella gelato is a beloved Italian classic enjoyed worldwide for its creaminess and crunchy chocolate bits. Here’s how to make stracciatella gelato at home.

Ingredients

  • 500 ml fresh whipping cream
  • 250 ml whole milk
  • 150 g granulated sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean or natural vanilla extract
  • 100 g dark chocolate

Preparation

  1. Begin by heating the milk in a saucepan with the vanilla bean split lengthwise (to expose the seeds) or a few drops of natural vanilla extract, until it becomes lukewarm.

  2. In a large bowl, mix the sugar with the warm milk and stir well until the sugar has completely dissolved.

  3. Allow the mixture to cool completely. Then remove the vanilla bean, if used.

  4. Whip the fresh cream until it reaches a soft but firm consistency.

  5. Gently fold the whipped cream into the vanilla-scented milk, stirring from the bottom up to avoid deflating it.

  6. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and follow your machine’s instructions to make the gelato. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, pour the mixture into a container and place it in the freezer, stirring every 30-40 minutes for the first 2-3 hours to prevent ice crystals from forming.

  7. While the gelato is chilling, melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler.

  8. When the gelato begins to firm up (usually after about 30 minutes in the ice cream maker), drizzle in the melted chocolate so it solidifies and breaks into small pieces, creating the “stracciatella” effect.

  9. Let the ice cream maker finish its cycle or, if using the freezer method, wait until it has fully solidified.

  10. Once ready, serve the stracciatella gelato in bowls or cones, as desired.

Trivia

Stracciatella is a flavor born in Italy, specifically in Bergamo, and its name comes from the dialect term “stracciare,” meaning “to tear or break,” referring to the chocolate that solidifies and breaks into many small fragments when poured into the gelato. An example of Italian culinary genius that combines the simplicity of pure ingredients with a surprising taste and texture effect.