Today, I want to tell you a love story… A love story about gelato and sorbet :). More precisely, about the ones from our neighborhood gelateria, Massimo Gelato, tucked away in the De Pijp district here in Amsterdam—just a short stroll from where we live now. It’s hands down my favorite ice cream shop in the city! The kind of gelato you dream of: made with real ingredients and none of the unnecessary extras. It’s one of the places I’ve shared in Le Carnet d’Adresses (which you can access via the link at the bottom of every Friday newsletter). One of you even wrote to me with a thank-you note after trying it during a trip to Amsterdam—such a lovely surprise.
Ever since we moved back, we’ve been going so often that we’ve started to wonder if we should ask for a loyalty card! And then one day, while savoring yet another scoop of chocolate, I thought: Surely, making ice cream can’t be that complicated… So I searched, I experimented, I tried again—and then, I found it: the perfect recipe. A rich chocolate gelato (my all-time favorite flavor), beautifully balanced—neither too sweet nor too bitter—with a creamy, velvety texture. And best of all? You don’t need an ice cream maker or any fancy equipment (I make everything by hand—no electric mixer in my kitchen just yet). I loved it so much (my partner gave his seal of approval, too) that I started dreaming up other flavors… pistachio, hazelnut, coffee… If you enjoy this recipe, stay tuned—more delicious scoops are on the way!
My Homemade Chocolate Gelato (No Ice Cream Maker Needed)
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cups (400 ml) whole milk
- 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream (30–35% fat)
- 4 egg yolks
- ⅓ cup (80 g) light brown sugar or cane sugar
- 4.5 oz (130 g) dark chocolate (70% cocoa minimum)
- 3 tbsp (20 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp acacia honey (optional, helps with texture)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (for extra smoothness)
- A pinch of fleur de sel
Instructions
1. Melt the chocolate
- Finely chop the dark chocolate and set it aside.
- In a small saucepan, gently heat half of the milk with the cocoa powder, whisking constantly to dissolve it fully and avoid lumps.
- Once warm, add the chopped chocolate and stir until you have a smooth, glossy ganache. Set aside.
2. Prepare the custard base
- In another saucepan, combine the remaining milk, the heavy cream, and the honey. Warm gently over medium-low heat, without letting it boil.
- Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and the cornstarch until pale and slightly thickened.
- Slowly pour the warm liquid over the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Then return the mixture to the saucepan.
- Cook over low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon—about 180–183°F (82–84°C). Léonce's tip: To check if it's ready, dip a spoon into the custard, then draw a line across the back of it with your finger. If the line stays clean and doesn’t run, your custard is perfectly cooked.
3. Combine the two
- Remove from the heat. Stir in the chocolate ganache.
- Add a pinch of fleur de sel—it truly brings out the depth of the chocolate.
- Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly against the surface, and let it cool completely—at least 3 hours, or ideally overnight in the refrigerator.
4. How to freeze without an ice cream maker
- Pour the chilled mixture into a wide, shallow container.
- During the first 4 to 6 hours, stir it every 30 to 45 minutes using a fork or whisk to break up any ice crystals and encourage a creamy consistency.
