GIANDUJA GELATO
Makes: about 1 quart (1 L)
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) hazelnuts, toasted (see note)
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
3/4 cup (180 ml) sugar
1/4 tsp (1 ml) kosher or sea salt
4 oz (114 g) milk chocolate, finely chopped
5 large egg yolks
1/8 tsp (0.5 ml) pure vanilla extract
1. Rub the hazelnuts in a kitchen towel to remove as much of the papery skins as possible, then chop them into pieces the size of lemon seeds in a food processor or blender.
2. Warm the milk with 1 cup (250 ml) of the cream, the sugar, and the salt in a saucepan. Once warm, remove from heat and add the chopped hazelnuts. Cover and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
3. Put the milk chocolate in a large bowl. Heat the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) cream in a medium saucepan until it begins to boil. Pour it over the milk chocolate and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Set a mesh strainer over the top.
4. Pour the hazelnut-infused milk through a strainer into a medium saucepan, squeezing the nuts firmly with your hands to extract as much of the flavourful liquid as possible. Discard the hazelnuts (see note).
5. Rewarm the hazelnut-infused mixture. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm hazelnut mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks into the saucepan. Stir the mixture constantly with a heatproof spatula over medium heat, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula.
6. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the milk chocolate mixture. Add the vanilla and stir over an ice bath until cool.
7. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Notes: To toast the hazelnuts, spread them in an even layer on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes in a 350°F (175°C) oven. Stir them once or twice while baking so they toast evenly. To see whether they’re done, snap a nut in half: it should be lightly golden brown throughout. Most of the flavour will have been extracted from the hazelnuts after they’re infused in the milk, but if you wish to reuse them, to add crunch to a batch of homemade granola or to mix into a batch of brownies, they can be rinsed well, spread out on a baking sheet, and dried out in a low oven.