Brown Butter Gelato
By For the Love of Gelato
A seasonal favorite featuring the caramelized nuttiness of browned butter blended into a sweet milk base. This recipe is adapted from the brown butter gelato in my book, The Art of Making Gelato, and is one of my favorite non-traditional flavors. Perfect alongside warm pies, seasonal desserts, or simply enjoyed on its own.
1,010g batch Nut & Specialty
Ingredients
| Amount | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 30g | Nonfat Dry Milk Powder |
| 145g | Granulated Sugar (Sucrose) |
| 15g | Dextrose Optional |
| 30g | Karo Light Corn Syrup |
| 17g | Tapioca Starch |
| 1g | Coarse Salt |
| 545g | Whole Milk (3.25% fat) |
| 155g | Heavy Cream (36% fat) |
| 72g | Browned Butter |
Method
| Step | Instructions |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cut the butter into four pieces and place in a skillet over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter melts and foams. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking until the milk solids turn golden to dark brown and the butter smells nutty. Immediately remove from the heat and pour into a heatproof bowl. Cool for 15 minutes, then measure the amount needed for the gelato, making sure to include the browned milk solids for a deeper, nuttier flavor. Set aside. |
| 2 | Mix the nonfat dry milk powder, sugar, salt, tapioca starch and dextrose (if using) in a bowl. |
| 3 | Add the heavy cream and whole milk and whisk well to incorporate all of the dry ingredients into the liquid. Whisk in the light corn syrup. |
| 4 | Transfer the base to a medium-sized saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until visibly thickened and coats the back of a spoon or reaches 85°C / 185°F, about 8–10 minutes. |
| 5 | Slowly pour the hot base over your melted brown butter (ensure it’s still liquid; if solidified, gently melt in the microwave for 30 seconds). Whisk well until fully combined. For ease, have your browned butter ready in the heatproof bowl you plan to use for storing the base in the refrigerator. |
| 6 | Lay plastic wrap directly on the surface of your base to prevent a skin from forming on top. Allow the mixture to cool for 30–45 minutes, until no longer hot. To speed up the process, place the bowl in an ice bath, submerging most of it, and stir occasionally for 30 minutes (refreshing the ice as needed) before transferring to the refrigerator. Chill completely in the refrigerator—about 4 hours or overnight for improved texture. |
| 7 | Once the mixture has cooled completely and thickened further, whisk well and then pour it into the bowl of the gelato machine and churn the gelato according to the manufacturer's directions. The gelato will expand and should spin until it's thick and creamy but still soft enough to scoop into a storage container, about 25 to 35 minutes. |
| 8 | Using a rubber spatula, scoop the gelato into a storage container. Press plastic wrap or parchment onto the surface (optional), cover, and freeze for 2–4 hours. When ready, the gelato should be firm enough to scoop but soft in texture. Gelato is best served between 6 and 10°F (−14 to −12°C) for optimal texture and structure. |
| 9 | Enjoy the gelato as soon as possible. If using the next day or after, allow at least 10 to 25 minutes for the gelato to soften outside of the freezer or in your refrigerator before eating. |
