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Vanilla Caramel Gelato – Creamy, cold, sweet and delicious, this Gelato is the perfect Summer treat! This Vanilla Caramel Gelato is a wonderful classic with fresh caramel sauce swirled in. Decadent, yet light, this will have you coming back for more and more!
This is a story all about how I eat Gelato the best way I know HOW!
Once upon a time I lived in the big city, worked as an executive, and paid a rent price that was double the mortgage that I pay now. I also wore Ann Taylor suits, had Starbucks lattes every day at noon, and ate a cup of Gelato on my way back home.
I lived steps from the awesomest Gelato place in Chicago. The owners were the best people, evvvver! Very welcoming, and very, very proud of their work. AND they were straight off the boat, just like myself. Except their boat took off from Italy.
So. The first day I went to their place I asked for gelato in a waffle cone. Then they gave me the stare down. I thought, either they’re just being themselves, checking me out, orrrr I just said something totally wrong. Or I didn’t pronounce Jelato correctly???
Come to find out, they didn’t like the whole “waffle cone” request. BUT I like waffle cones, I said. And they were like, go to the ice cream shop! This is a gelato shop! All this with a very heavy Italian accent. And Italian attitude. 🙂 I LOVED IT!
We started off on the wrong foot, but as soon as I agreed to eat gelato the way Italians eat it, we were good. No cone, in a cup, with a small plastic spoon and a conversation as long as 2 hours about the way things were back home. We were the best of friends from there on.
However, and obviously, I’m eating my gelato in a cone.
HOMEMADE GELATO
I’m huge into ice cream/gelato/soft serve/cold/creamy stuff. Like, obsessed. BUT my favorite flavor is Vanilla. No matter what icy and creamy thing is in front of me, if it’s Vanilla, I am happy! Then I add some caramel to it and I’m in 7th heaven. (Remember that show?!? YEAH!) Ahem. So.
My awesome friends over at OXO sent me a wonderful package that included ALL THE THINGS one needs to make ice cream!
Solid Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop
Small Silicone Spatula (Raspberry)
4 Piece Mini Measuring Beaker Set
Medium Square LockTop Container
2 Cup Angled Measuring Cup
Sugar Dispenser
Mini Chopper
Before the goods arrived, I knew I was going to make this Vanilla Caramel Gelato. It is one of the super amazing things to come out of my kitchen, summer after summer.
We are making two things from scratch:
- Custard – Eggs, sugar, milk, and heavy whipping cream.
- Caramel – caramel candies, butter, and sweetened condensed milk.
Those two things will be added to your ice cream machine and blended together until combined. Freeze for about 5 hours and serve.
See how great it turned out?? It is creamy, soft, not icy, and gorgeous! That color is making my heart sing.
Umm, needless to say, I love my homemade gelato.
If you have an ice cream maker, do make THIS Vanilla Caramel Gelato! It’s summery, it’s sweet, it’s creamy – Lord, I WISH there was more in that freezer!
ENJOY!
SIMILAR RECIPES
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
Strawberry Ice Cream-Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwiches
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Vanilla Caramel Gelato
Ingredients
For the Gelato
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 to 3 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
For the Caramel Sauce
- 1 (14 oz.) bag Caramel Candies, unwrapped
- 1 stick butter
- 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Set a sieve over a mixing bowl; set aside.
- Combine yolks and sugar in a medium bowl and whisk for 2 minutes, or until thick; set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine milk and cream and set over medium heat; cook until mixture begins to bubble on the sides; remove from burner.
- Slowly whisk the milk mixture into the egg yolks mixture; continue to whisk until combined.
- Pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture leaves a coating on the back of a spoon, about 5 to 7 minutes, or reaches a temperature of 170-degrees fahrenheit. (I almost always use a thermometer when making gelato).
- Remove from heat and pour the mixture through the previously prepared sieve.
- Stir in the vanilla.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.
In the meantime, prepare the caramel sauce.
- Combine caramels, butter and sweetened condensed milk into a saucepan.
- Cook over medium-low heat until melted, stirring constantly; about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat; set aside and let cool completely.
- Remove custard from fridge and pour the mixture into your ice cream maker.
- Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- In the last 3 minutes of freezing, and while the ice cream is churning, pour about 2-ounces of the caramel sauce into the ice cream machine. You can use less or more caramel sauce - that is up to you.
- When finished churning, transfer the gelato to an airtight container.
- Freeze for 5 hours, or until firm.
- Serve.
Notes
- The caramel recipe makes more than you will need, but how much you want to use of it in the gelato is up to you.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
I made this yesterday and I followed the recipe to a T. When I added the caramel sauce near the end it seized up on me and didn’t swirl through the ice cream. It just hardened because of the cold into a big lump. That said, the ice cream has a wonderful flavor and texture. Maybe next time I’ll use a regular caramel ice cream sauce.
Hi Sue! SO sorry that happened!! I guess I should have put “allow caramel to cool *completely* before adding it to the ice cream…” ugh. :-/ Again, my apologies please. I’ll fix that right away! BUT happy to know that the gelato was still delicious! 😀
Katerina I did let it cool completely (you did have that in the instructions). I used Kraft Carmels and they’re fairly firm. Could it have been that? What brand of caramels did you use?
Hi Sue! Yes, I think those are the same ones I always use when I can’t be bothered to make a sauce from scratch. 😉
What kind of caramel candies do you use? This looks like something my caramel mad, ice-cream loving other half would love.
Hi Lisa!
I use these all the time – it’s quicker than making my own. 😉 affiliate link — http://amzn.to/1kOyIu2
Gelato’s the best! I’ve got some caramel candies lying around the house and this sounds like the perfect way to use them. Looks amazing!
What a great story about your daily gelato indulgence! I bet this tasted at least as good as your favorite store. Love vanilla and agree the only thing that makes it better is caramel!
Holy yum! Amazing pictures and gelato! Must try this as I make a ton of home made ice cream, but never gelato. This looks amazing!
Waffle cones are dreamy (so is your gelato)! I can’t imagine enjoying this creamy deity in anything but a cone of waffle.
Unbelievable!! You stole my heart woman!
I also must lick off that tray…please tell me you did!
This is beautiful! So decadent and a great flavour combination.
yum. i could definitely use a scoop right now, looks seriously good + your photography is fantastic. love it!
Now that I think about it, I don’t remember seeing any cones in Italy! Who knew?! This is some seriously decadent and gorgeous looking gelato!