Go Back

Strawberry Gelato

Strawberry gelato with intense fresh berry flavor, vivid pink-red color, and a silkier, denser gelato texture than American ice cream. This Italian strawberry gelato uses a cooked egg-yolk custard base, then chill-and-churn for a thick, scoopable result.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chilling + freezing (4 hours) 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Strawberries
  • 2 cup fresh strawberries Hulled before blending.
Sugar
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar Used with the strawberries and lemon juice before straining.
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar Used in the egg-yolk custard.
Lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice Brightens the strawberry flavor.
Milk and cream
  • 2 cup whole milk Part of the hot dairy base.
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream Part of the hot dairy base.
Eggs
  • 3 egg yolks Whisk with sugar and cornstarch to thicken.
Cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch Helps the custard reach a pudding-like thickness.
Vanilla
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract Added after cooking for rounded flavor.

Equipment

  • 1 ice cream maker
  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Make the strawberry puree
  1. Blend hulled fresh strawberries with 1/4 cup granulated sugar and lemon juice until fully smooth, with no large chunks visible.
  2. Strain the strawberry mixture to remove seeds, then set the bright puree aside.
Cook the custard base
  1. Heat whole milk and heavy cream together in a saucepan until steaming, but not boiling, with wisps of steam rising.
  2. Whisk egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar and cornstarch until smooth and thickened-looking, with no cornstarch streaks.
  3. Slowly whisk the hot milk mixture into the egg-yolk mixture to temper it, keeping the flow steady to avoid scrambling.
  4. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened like a pudding (about 5 minutes), where a spoon line holds briefly.
  5. Remove from the heat and stir in the strained strawberry puree and vanilla extract until the custard is vivid pink-red and evenly colored.
Chill and churn
  1. Cool the custard completely over an ice bath, stirring occasionally until it feels cool to the touch.
  2. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, until thoroughly chilled.
  3. Churn in an ice cream maker on the lowest setting for a dense, gelato-style texture.
  4. Serve soft immediately or freeze 1-2 hours to firm up for slicing or scooping.

Notes

For the silkiest texture, chill the custard until very cold before churning, and run the ice cream maker on the lowest setting to keep it dense. Store leftover gelato covered in the freezer for up to 2 weeks; thaw 5-10 minutes for easier scooping. Freezing is recommended; it won’t reconstitute fully if repeatedly thawed and refrozen. If you want a dairy-light option, use lactose-free milk and lactose-free cream to reduce lactose without changing the method.