Choco-Hazelnut Gelato

A low-fat, quick, eggless gelato treat with hazelnut to cater to the sweet tooth! Gelato is an italian cousin of the good ol ice-cream sans the butter fat! It has about 6 % less butterfat than all its cousins the world over.

I made this last week and it is a perfect late night snack while watching a movie! I have tried to keep this very low in sugar & mostly used honey coz I like it that way but you can suit to your tastes. After 6 months of marriage I discovered, that my husband does not like my desserts  very much .The reason was that I try to make them HEALTHY!!!! Can you believe that? So I made another batch for him with lots of sugar[I mean normal sugar ] and though I wanted to add some heavy cream in his version,me being me I  increased the quantity of it half n half which worked very well….coz he didnt complain about the creaminess!

This recipe is inspired by Giada de Laurentiis recipe , who is one of the most beautiful food chefs I have seen till date .I have not used eggs & done some more changes.You can read the original recipe here.

What I needed:

• 2 cups + 4 tbsp whole milk
• 1 cup half & half
• 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 cup honey + 1/4 cup sugar [ adjust to your taste]
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Nutella chocolate-hazelnut spread [or more ]
• 1/2 cup glazed walnuts, for garnish

How I did it :

• In a pan combine the 2 cups milk, half & half  and sugar over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the cornstarch with 4 tbsp cold whole milk so that it dissolves completely. Add this mixture back into the pan slowly stirring continuously. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 4 minutes.
• Strain this mixture in a medium bowl.Let it cool for 10-12 minutes.Stir in the honey,vanilla & hazelnut spread until it dissolves.
• Since I do not have an ice cream maker I popped the mixture into the freezer and whisked it at continuous intervals to prevent crystallization.You can use the ice cream maker if you have one!
• To serve, scoop gelato into serving bowls and top with glazed walnuts or any nuts of your choice.

Notes:

1. You can  fold in chopped hazelnuts, chocolate pieces or semi sweet choco chip for an added bite & enhanced chocolate flavor
2. Adding 1 tsp rum gives the gelato a nice tang!

Enjoy!