web analytics

Easy Vanilla Gelato

Easy Vanilla Gelato

July is National Ice Cream month, and the third Sunday of the month is National Ice Cream Day. Both of these are good reasons to make ice cream – as though the heat of summer weren’t enough on its own – so I spent the afternoon of my National Ice Cream Day making a batch of vanilla gelato at home. “Gelato” is the Italian word for ice cream and, like American ice cream, there is no single standard recipe for what it is. It is know for having a denser, softer texture than ice cream, in addition to being made in more and bolder flavors.

This recipe appeals to me because it is incredibly simple. You don’t need to cook anything in advance or wait for anything to chill before pouring it into an ice cream maker. It has just three ingredients: milk, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. The sweetened condensed milk adds plenty of sweetness to the gelato and also helps to make the finished product a little richer. That said, this recipe is a little bit less rich than a similar ice cream might be because it uses milk, not heavy cream, alongside the sweetened condensed milk. This gelato will work with lowfat milk (I did not try it with nondairy milks), but as you lower the fat content, you will also loose a little bit of creaminess in the finished product. The gelato will still be smooth and have a great melt-in-your-mouth texture to it, and it shouldn’t get too hard or icy in the freezer, but it will just be slightly less smooth than a batch made with whole milk.

I used vanilla extract to get the vanilla flavor into the gelato, but you can also scrape a vanilla bean directly into the milk mixture if you prefer to get a vanilla bean look. The vanilla flavor is wonderful, bold and fragrant. It stands alone very well, but could also be served with fresh fruit, a fruit cobbler or with cake.

Easy Vanilla Gelato
2 3/4 cups milk
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Whisk all ingredients together in a large bowl until smooth. Refrigerate if mixture is not cold, or until you are ready to make the gelato.
Pour milk mixture into your ice cream maker and prepare according to manfacturers’ instructions (usually about 20 minutes). Transfer to a freezer-proof airtight container and chill until ready to serve to firm up the texture a bit.

Serves 8.

Note: This gelato is best made with an ice cream maker, which will ensure the smoothest texture and best finished product.

Share this article

11 Comments
  • Fallon
    July 20, 2009

    I really need to get an ice cream maker!

  • Krissy
    July 21, 2009

    I found my mum’s old ice cream maker, but it appears to be missing the cylinder ring!

    /sobs.

  • Tender B.
    July 22, 2009

    I’ll echo Fallon. A lot of great recipes have been posted lately about making ice cream or gelato (yours looks delicious!). It is time to get an ice cream maker.

  • andrew
    July 22, 2009

    i did not realize how simple it was to make gelato,

    Grazie! = Thank you in italian

  • Doreen
    July 24, 2009

    I’ve always wanted to make icecream, and recently realized gelato is much better for you, so I definatlly want to try out this fabulous recipe (when I finally buy an icecream maker!!)

  • Steph
    July 31, 2009

    I just mixed this up so we can make it this weekend. Looks great. Can’t wait to try it.

  • Angie
    August 4, 2009

    I’ve learned that for home made vanilla ice cream or gelato, one of the most important factors is the quality of your vanilla extract.

    Its critical to use PURE vanilla extract or beans. Does anyone have experience with a preferred type of vanilla?

  • Aggressive Affiliates
    August 24, 2009

    Hmm seems easy.. and yummy! 🙂 I hope I can try it out soon.

  • Acnescar
    October 3, 2009

    Really very help full information, thanks for sharing……

  • joma
    March 19, 2017

    Angie, I make my own vanilla extract. split 2 vanilla beans and put into a pint jar. Cover with vodka and let sit for at least 2 weeks. You can put it in a pretty bottle or leave it in the jar. Just leave the beans in it. Only makes it better! Got this recipe from an Amish friend of mine. Best vanilla ever!

  • […] was planning to make BakingBites’ Easy Vanilla Gelato to serve with this but a couple of good sales left my freezer too packed to accommodate the ice […]

What do you think?

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *