Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Make the strawberry puree
- Blend the fresh strawberries with 1/4 cup sugar and lemon juice until completely smooth, then strain to remove seeds and set aside.
- Visually check the puree looks uniform and vivid pink-red after straining before moving on.
Cook the custard base
- Heat the whole milk and heavy cream in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling, about 3–5 minutes.
- Whisk the egg yolks, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and cornstarch until smooth, with no visible lumps.
- Slowly whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture in a thin stream to warm it evenly without scrambling.
- Return everything to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened like a pudding—about 5 minutes.
Flavor, cool, and chill
- Remove from heat and stir in the strawberry puree and vanilla extract until the color turns a dense, bright pink-red.
- Cool completely over an ice bath until the custard is no longer warm to the touch.
- Refrigerate at least 4 hours until fully chilled.
Churn and finish
- Churn the mixture in an ice cream maker on the lowest setting for a dense, gelato-style texture.
- Serve soft for a silky scoop, or freeze 1–2 hours to firm up for quenelle-style shaping.
Notes
For the silkiest strawberry gelato, strain the puree well so the texture stays dense and smooth; also chill the custard until fully cold (at least 4 hours) so it churns properly. Store covered in the freezer up to 2 weeks; for best scoopable texture, let it sit 3–5 minutes at room temperature. Freeze is yes—freeze in a shallow container and stir briefly once after 1 hour if you want a softer body. If you want a lighter version, swap whole milk and heavy cream with 2 cups lactose-free milk and lactose-free cream while keeping the same ratios for the custard to thicken correctly.