Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato

Okay, so we are on a Nutella kick right now, hence all the chocolate hazelnut recipes. I am such a fan of gelato I was so excited to try this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis. While the texture (smooth and creamy) is great, it was way too sweet for me (my husband loves it). I was hoping for a more rich chocolate hazelnut flavor, but this recipe yields a very mild flavor that is almost overpowered by the sweetness. Bummer - I will just have to try another gelato recipe ;-)

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream (I used half-and-half)
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
• 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, crushed, for garnish

Directions

In a saucepan combine the milk, cream, and 1/2 cup sugar over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whip the egg yolks with the remaining sugar using an electric mixer until the eggs have become thick and pale yellow, about 4 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup of the warm milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture and stir. Add this mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 to 10 minutes (I found this to take a bit longer - closer to 15 minutes).

Place a strainer over a medium bowl and pour the warm custard mixture through the strainer. Stir in the vanilla and hazelnut spread until it dissolves. Chill mixture completely before pouring into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions to freeze. To serve, scoop gelato into serving bowls and top with hazelnuts.