Nutella Gelato

Introduction

Nutella gelato is hugely popular with children and, more than you might think, with adults too.

It may not top the list at today’s cutting-edge gelato shops, but Nutella gelato has something magical about it that makes me happy just looking at it!

Nutella is a high-quality cocoa and hazelnut spread, even though it is industrially produced, and it has an unmistakable flavor. It is the queen of spreads and, for me, turning it into gelato is an honor. You have to do it justice!

So here is the recipe I tested, with fairly good results, I would say.

The challenge with Nutella gelato is that it is a premixed, emulsified blend with very high sweetness and a large amount of solid matter that must be managed when balancing the recipe.

Below is the ingredient list for a balance designed to reduce the sweetness and make Nutella the central flavor.

Ingredients

• Proportions for ~1kg
• Tested with Cuisinart ICE100 for 800g

Recipe balance

iCalc chart

Preparation

1. Preparing the ingredients:
   1. Mix all the solids / powders together
   2. Mix the milk with the Nutella
2. Pasteurization:
   1. Begin heating the milk and Nutella slowly, stirring so that the Nutella melts
   2. Slowly add the powders and continue stirring
   3. Stir and heat until the Nutella has completely dissolved and there are no lumps left. If necessary, use a food processor

   Do not exceed 60ºC, to prevent the properties of the Nutella ingredients from changing

3. Aging: overnight in the refrigerator at 4 °C
4. Churning (Cuisinart ICE100):
   1. Pre-cool for 10 minutes
   2. Churn for 35 minutes
   3. Extracted at -5.5ºC
5. Minimum freezer time:
   1. 1 day to reach temperature

Tasting and conclusions

• Overrun: 20%
• Serving temperature: -12ºC

Taste test

The taste test was an emotional experience.

The texture is creamy and full-bodied, probably thanks to the Nutella itself and its emulsifiers and stabilizers.

The Nutella flavor is strong and central, while the hazelnut and cocoa aromas stand out in the milk base.

The gelato is quite sweet for our tastes, but much less so than those we have tried in many gelato shops and, fortunately, it is not overly cloying.

Tell us what you think! Have we done justice to the best and most famous cocoa spread in the world?