Hazelnut gelato

Method

Hazelnut Gelato

1. Into a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and ice cream stabiliser. This is important to prevent it from creating lumps when it is added to the mixture. For the ice cream stabiliser you can use a pre-made blend readily available online or another option such as Locust Bean Gum. 

• 2.2g Ice Cream Stabiliser
• 45g Caster/White Sugar

2. Into a medium saucepan, add the milk, water, skimmed milk powder, dextrose, liquid glucose, trimoline and skimmed milk powder. 

• 260g Whole Milk
• 320g Water
• 65g Skimmed Milk Powder
• 85g Liquid Glucose
• 20g Invert Sugar (Trimoline)
• 75g Dextrose

*If you do not have access to trimoline, just adjust the sugars to the following ratios:

• 53g Caster/ White Sugar (mixed with the stabiliser)
• 95g Liquid Glucose
• 85g Dextrose

3. Heat the mixture, whisking, until it reaches 45C/113F. Then, add in the sugar/stabiliser mixture and the egg yolk.

• 20g Egg Yolk

4. Continue whisking until the mixture reaches 85C/185F on a digital thermometer.

5. Remove it from the heat and pour it into a tall jug, and add the pure hazelnut paste.

• 105g 100% Pure Hazelnut Paste

6. Blend the mixture for 1 minute with a hand blender.

7. Pour the mixture into a bowl and then place this into a larger bowl of ice water. We want to cool this mixture as quickly as possible. Stir it occasionally for about 20 minutes then cover the surface with cling film and refrigerate overnight. 

Pâte à Tartiner

Note – this will make enough for about 3 jars!

1. Into a food processor, add the roasted hazelnuts, icing/powdered sugar, cocoa powder and milk powder. Blend the mixture for around a minute, scraping down if needed, until it forms a thick, peanut butter-like consistency. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.

• 475g Roasted Hazelnuts
• 200g Icing/Powdered Sugar
• 100g Full Fat Milk Powder
• 50g Cocoa Powder 

2. Melt the milk chocolate and pure hazelnut paste and pour this into the food processor. Blend again for 30 seconds – 1 minute, until you are happy with the texture. Finally, stir through a pinch of flakey sea salt. 

• 120g Milk Chocolate (33% Cocoa Solids)
• 55g Pure 100% Hazelnut Paste
• Pinch of Flakey Salt

3. Transfer the mixture to airtight jars. This can be stored at room temperature for 2-4 weeks or in the fridge for 1-2 months. 

White Chocolate Cream

1. Into a small bowl, add the powdered gelatin and cold water. Stir to combine, then set aside for 10 minutes to bloom. If you are using sheet gelatin, just soak it in a bowl of cold water. 

• 3g Powdered Gelatin (250 Bloom) + 18g Cold Water (or 1 Gelatin Leaf, Soaked)

2. Into a tall jug, add the chopped white chocolate and set aside. 

• 65g White Chocolate, Chopped

3. Pour the cream into a small saucepan, and place it onto a medium heat. Stir occasionally until it is steaming. 

• 300g Double/Heavy Cream

4. Remove it from the heat, and pour it over the white chocolate. Scoop the bloomed gelatin on top and let it sit for 2 minutes. Then blend until smooth with a hand blender.

5. Cover the surface with cling film and refrigerate overnight. Alternatively, pour it into a baking tray and chill for 3-4 hours. 

Chocolate Sauce

This will make more than you need, but I like to portion it up, store it in sandwich bags and keep it in the freezer!

1. Into a small bowl, add the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. 

• 50g Cocoa Powder
• 10g Plain/All-Purpose Flour
• 95g Caster/White Sugar
• Pinch of Flakey Salt

2. Add the milk and butter into a saucepan and place it over a medium heat. 

• 300g Whole Milk
• 25g Unsalted Butter

3. Once it is steaming and the butter has melted, tip in the dry ingredients and whisk constantly for around 4-5 minutes, until it is a thick consistency that coats the back of a spoon.

4. Remove it from the heat and pass it through a sieve into a clean bowl.

5. Cover the surface with cling film and leave at room temperature or refrigerate until needed. 

Assembly

1. Wrap the outside of each ice cream cone tightly with a strip of acetate or parchment paper, extending above the rim to create a collar. Secure it firmly with tape, then stand the cone upright in a tray of rice or an ice cream cone holder to keep it stable.

2. Use a teaspoon to add a small amount of pâte à tartiner into the base of each cone.

3. Once the gelato base has matured, blend it one more time with a hand blender for 30 seconds, and pour it into your pre-chilled ice cream/gelato maker. Follow the machine’s instructions but it should take around 30 minutes for it to churn depending on the model. More expensive models with built in chillers will churn it in about 15-20 minutes. Mine is usually ready at a ‘draw’ temperature (the temperature you take it out of the machine) at about -11C/12.2F if you want to check it.

4. Working quickly, scoop the gelato straight into the ice cream cone, filling it, so that is level with the rim of the cone. Place it straight into the freezer for 1 hour. Try to set your freezer as cold as possible (around -24C/–11F). We need the gelato to set quite firm so that we can peel off the acetate cleanly. It is important that your gelato isn’t too soft/”melty” as it goes into the cone otherwise it will drip around the edges of the acetate and soak your cone. So if it feels too soft, scoop it into a container first and then freeze it for an hour and then scoop it into your cones.

5. Remove the chilled white chocolate cream from the fridge and add it into a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on a medium speed until it holds a medium soft peak. Try not to over whip it, as you want the cream to be nice and soft so it ruffles nicely on top of the cone. 

6. Add it into a piping bag fitted with a 1B nozzle. 

7. Remove the cones from the freezer and holding the piping bag vertically just above the gelato, squeeze firmly, slowly pulling the back up, to create a ripple effect.

8. Take some of the chocolate sauce and pipe it into the gaps in between each ruffle. I find a little syringe is great for this. Sprinkle on some chopped roasted hazelnuts.

9. Place the cones back in the freezer until the gelato and cream feel firm and the acetate can be cleanly peeled away.

10. Remove them from the freezer and allow them to warm up for a few minutes at room temperature and then serve.