How this style works
Gelato is what you make when you want weight rather than lift. The base runs milk-forward — more whole milk than heavy cream — and because nothing is ever churned into it, no air softens the result. Every spoonful carries the full density you built in, which is why gelato suits flavors that thin out in a lighter scoop: espresso, ground nuts, dark chocolate.
These bases take more work than a whisk-together pint. Some are cooked custards, where egg yolks are tempered into hot milk and thickened just enough to coat a spatula, then strained and chilled completely before freezing. Others skip eggs and get their body from ground nuts blended into the milk and strained. Either way the mixture has to be cold all the way through before it goes in the freezer, and then flat and level for the full 24 hours.
Spin them on Gelato, the program meant for denser, custard-style bases. Re-spin with a tablespoon of milk if the first pass looks crumbly, and serve gelato a little softer than ice cream — straight from the spin it is silky and almost spoonable, or smooth the top and refreeze for fifteen to twenty minutes for cleaner scoops.
