Vanilla Gelato

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, heavy cream, and half of the sugar. Warm over medium heat until you see steam and bubbles starting to form around the edges, but do not let it boil.
2. While the milk mixture is heating, in a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the remaining sugar until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened.
3. Slowly pour a small amount of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly. This process is called tempering and prevents the eggs from scrambling.
4. Gradually add the rest of the milk mixture to the tempered yolks, stirring continuously.
5. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Do not let it boil.
6. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
7. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any lumps and cool to room temperature.
8. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until completely chilled, about 4 hours.
9. Once chilled, churn the custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
10. Transfer the gelato to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least an additional 2 hours before serving.
11. Tip: To get the best texture, before serving, let the gelato sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly.