Are you looking for a great gelato recipe? Homemade gelato, which is a rich Italian style ice cream is simple to make. Read on to learn how to make gelato that's as good as you can get in Italy.

Although gelato usually has less fat than ice cream, it also has less air, making it denser and higher in calories on a scoop by scoop basis. You can customize gelato by adding fruit purees and flavorings, or just enjoy the basic vanilla version that is provided on this page. You'll need a gelato maker to duplicate the texture of Italian gelato exactly, as ice cream makers can incorporate twice as much air as is usually found in gelato. If you only have access to an ice cream maker, slow the freezing process down by using less ice than is recommended; slower freezing will produce a denser product that is closer to the texture of gelato.

(Photo by Sandy Smith)

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

1. Warm the milk and cream over low heat.
2. Stir in the sugar and salt, cooking until dissolved.
3. Bring water to boil in the bottom of a double boiler.
4. Off the heat, place the eggs in the top of the double boiler.
5. Whisk the warm milk into the eggs.
6. Place the top of the double boiler over the boiling water, and cook until thickened, whisking constantly.
7. Chill several hours or overnight.
8. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla, and mix well.
9. Process according to your gelato maker's instructions.
10. Gelato should be eaten immediately, while still slightly soft or stored in a warmer area of your freezer. Do not store gelato in a deep freeze; try to keep the gelato at about 30 degrees Fahreneheit.http://www.pickyourown.org/howtomakegelatowice.htm

1. Add 3 cups of fruit puree before processing the gelato.
2. Melt a cup of cocoa powder and 3 1/2 ounces of chopped bittersweet chocolate in the milk and cream before adding the warm milk mixture to the eggs to make chocolate gelato.
3. Toast one cup of hazelnuts and grind them to a powder in a food processor. Add with the vanilla before processing in the gelato macine for hazelnut gelato.