Nutella Gelato

I keep thinking that someday there is going to be a drought of recipes to pull from. Can new recipes really keep emerging?? And yet, all I have to to is a tiny bit of electronic surfing around favorite foodie-centered websites and like a bolt of lightning striking my head, there's again, another recipe I am screeching to try.

Come 6 months from now, ice cream will be as extinct as the dinosaurs (you can tell I've been playing with a certain 2.5 year old cutie today). I just don't make homemade ice cream as frequently in those winter hibernation months. Makes sense, no?

And since we're really good friends, can I admit right here and now that nutella might be one of my all-time favorite foods? Nutella and I have been well acquainted for many years- it's always been a loyal friend, a total comfort food fall back, and ever reliant for my high strung chocolate needs. I like nutella on my toast, drizzled over pound cake, used as a dip for pretzels, slathered in evil proportions between freshly made crepes, spooned over ice cream, and now, as the main star in a homemade ice cream recipe.

I think this ice cream also falls into the "OMG" category of life. It's kinda good, like, excellent good. Smooth and creamy and invigorating........think Wendy's Frosty, but homemade and slightly richer. That's what it tastes and feels like on your tongue- only again, you get that slight hazelnutty undertone because, well, it's made with hazelnut chocolate spread but it's hardly noticeable and completely not overly daunting for any nut non-enthusiasts.

I'm just now feeling bad that amongst the three of us (me + 2 children), we have consumed the majority of the recipe as if we were in a world ice cream eating competition, with hardly any leftovers for the man who works so hard for us. Hmmm... must think of plan B for that stud.

Enjoy!!!

(oh yes, PS, please excuse my lack of ice-cream-all-scooped-up-so-cute-in-a-dainty-bowl photograph. We ate it too quickly before it had a chance!).

Nutella Gelato

{Giada de Laurentiis}

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

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

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.

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 (kate note: or if you’re like us, you won’t even need a garnish when it’s eaten straight from the ice cream freezer! Bwa ha ha!!)