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Strawberry Gelato

Strawberry gelato is an Italian strawberry dessert made with a cooked custard base for a dense, silky texture and vivid pink-red color. Fresh strawberry flavor stays concentrated by blending, straining out seeds, and mixing into a thickened pudding-style base.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chilling + freezing 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Strawberry base
  • 2 cup fresh strawberries Hull before blending.
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar Reserve 1/4 cup for blending with strawberries.
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice Use for brightness and flavor.
Gelato custard
  • 2 cup whole milk
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar Split remaining sugar for the yolk mixture.
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch Helps thicken like a pudding for gelato texture.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 ice cream maker
  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 ice bath

Method
 

Blend and strain strawberries
  1. Blend fresh strawberries with 1/4 cup granulated sugar and lemon juice until completely smooth, then strain through a fine mesh to remove seeds and set the puree aside.
  2. Chill the strained strawberry puree briefly while you start the custard so it stays fresh and vibrant in color.
Make the cooked custard base
  1. Heat whole milk and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming, not boiling, then keep it hot for tempering.
  2. Whisk egg yolks, remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and cornstarch until smooth and thickened-looking, with no visible cornstarch lumps.
  3. Slowly whisk the hot milk mixture into the yolk mixture in a thin stream to prevent scrambling, then return everything to the saucepan.
  4. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened like a pudding, about 5 minutes, with a glossy coating on the spoon.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in the strained strawberry puree and vanilla extract until the mixture turns vivid pink-red and smooth.
Chill and churn
  1. Cool completely over an ice bath, then refrigerate at least 4 hours until very cold.
  2. Churn in an ice cream maker on the lowest setting until dense and gelato-style, then serve soft for the creamiest texture or freeze 1-2 hours for a firmer scoop.

Notes

For the silkiest texture, strain the strawberry puree thoroughly so seeds don’t cause iciness, and keep the custard moving while cooking for even thickening. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; freeze up to 1 month. For a lighter option, use whole milk and light cream or a half-and-half style substitute, but the texture may be slightly less dense than classic gelato.