Super soft Nutella flavoured gelato, filled with crushed Ferrero Rocher pieces and swirls of chocolate hazelnut deliciousness. Inspired by my recent trip to Italy.
We’ve enjoyed France, and we’ve had a massive sugar-rush in Spain, so it’s about time we explored the heart of the Mediterranean, Italy. This gorgeous country was where the majority of our recent cruise was spent, and we managed to visit Rome, Lucca, and Cinque Terre over an action-packed three days. And when in Rome, you can’t really not indulge in some super soft gelato, can you?
It turns out that the main difference between gelato and ice cream is the ratio of cream to milk used. Some gelato recipes even call for 100% milk and absolutely no cream at all! I wasn’t that brave, but still kept things as milky as I could manage, which results in a gelato that is so smooth that it’s pretty much the perfect eating consistency straight from the freezer.
You’re really spoiling us
When trying to decide what Italian delicacy to share this week, I knew that it had to include my all-time favourite chocolate, the Ferrero Rocher. I’ve been eating these balls of pure heaven in bulk since before I could read, and they are without doubt the greatest candy invention ever. Perfect for Christmas, a reception thrown by your country’s Ambassador, or just a Monday morning snack.
So imagine my joy, aged 10, when I found out that you could buy the Ferrero Rocher filling in a jar! Oh Nutella, you gorgeous beast.
My gelato recipe includes both Nutella spread, as well as actual real-life Ferrero Rocher balls, smashed into pieces. Double the Ferrero, double the yum.
You’re probably going to want to use an ice cream maker if you can get your hands on one, as it speeds up the process A LOT. Good news though – even if you don’t have a machine, I’ve got a whole post dedicated to how to make any ice cream recipe. It involves a lot of stirring and waiting, but it will leave you with perfectly ice-crystal-free gelato, even in a power cut.
If you’re like me, and you’ve got a bottle of hazelnut liqueur lying around just begging to be used (originally purchased for my Ferrero Rocher brownies I expect) then be my guest and add a couple of tablespoons into the gelato batter before you chill it. I wouldn’t go out of your way to track some down if not, as it will just end up sitting in the drinks cupboard for the rest of eternity otherwise.
To be fair, it does go very nicely in a hot chocolate… so expect that recipe heading your way in around three months’ time.
Ferrero Rocher Gelato
Super soft Nutella flavoured gelato, filled with crushed Ferrero Rocher pieces and swirls of chocolate hazelnut deliciousness. Inspired by my recent trip to Italy.
Prep Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 12 hrs
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
| INGREDIENTS | INSTRUCTIONS |
| To make the gelato: 130 g caster sugar (US granulated sugar) 4 large egg yolks 600 ml whole milk 120 ml double or heavy cream 250 g Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread 2 tbsp Frangellico hazelnut liqueur optional Add ins 10 Ferrero Rocher coarsely chopped 150 g Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread. | Place the sugar and egg yolks in a small bowl, and beat together using an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. When you pull the beaters out of the mixture, it should fall back on itself in ribbons. Set aside. Pour the milk, cream, and Nutella into a medium saucepan and heat on medium-low until almost boiling, stirring occasionally to stop a skin from forming. Remove from the heat. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the hot milk into the egg and sugar mixture and stir together to loosen up the eggs. Then pour all of the egg and sugar mixture into the saucepan with the milk, immediately stirring together well. Return the saucepan to a medium-low heat and heat for 8-10 minutes, or until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. Make sure to constantly stir the mixture while cooking, as you do not want it to burn. Once the custard is thick enough, stir in the Frangellico if using, and remove from the heat. Place the saucepan in a sink of cold water to cool down (not letting any water get into the gelato batter). Stir occasionally to avoid a skin forming. Once cooled to almost room temperature, cover the surface of the batter with cling film (or plastic wrap) and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours – overnight is best. This is to ensure the batter is as cold as possible before churning. The next day, place the gelato batter in the frozen ice cream maker bowl and churn as per the manufacturer’s instructions. My machine takes about 25 minutes to churn this gelato batter. Once the gelato is the consistency of soft-serve ice cream, remove from the machine and place in an ice cream container or loaf tin, adding chopped or crushed Ferrero Rocher pieces and swirls of Nutella between the layers of gelato. Top the gelato with more Ferrero Rocher pieces. Place in the freezer to firm up – this should only take a couple of hours or so. |
Homemade gelato or ice cream will not keep as well as store-bought, so do not keep for longer than a month. If the top of the gelato crystallises, then the ice cream underneath may still be good, so don’t throw it away just yet!