Kahlúa Espresso Gelato can be equated to the tastiest, most rich and creamy latte you've ever had -- with a splash of Kahlúa and a touch of chocolate.
I was introduced to the flavor of coffee at a very early age, probably under ten-years-old.
And no, not in a mug with half and half!
Inspiration for Kahlúa Espresso Gelato Recipe
Rather, in pint-sized container of Häagen-Dazs coffee ice cream. It was, and still is my dad's favorite flavor. It didn't have to be Häagen-Dazs, but I think more often than not, it was.
So naturally, I'm making my dad this insanely delicious Kahlúa Espresso Gelato.
And as always, my favorite part of the process of making gelato or ice cream, is when I remove the lid to the machine to reveal the beauty of the creamy blend of ingredients and flavors.
What is the Difference Between Gelato and Ice Cream?
- Air. Gelato is churned much more slowly than ice cream, and as a result has less air incorporated into it. This makes it more dense.
- Temperature. Typically, gelato is served at a slightly warmer temperature. This naturally makes it a bit softer than ice cream.
- Fat. Gelato also typically has less fat than ice cream, making the flavor more intense. Gelato usually has a 4-6% fat content, while it's said that ice cream isn't sold with anything less than 10%.
I highly recommend trying this recipe and inviting a few friends or family over this weekend to partake in its deliciousness. And it will cool you down from the summer heat!
Enjoy! (Kahlúa Espresso Gelato recipe is below.)
I just adore the flavor of coffee! If you do too -- and I'm assuming that's why you've stopped by the recipe -- than you'll want to check out my Best Recipes for Coffee Lovers.
P.S. It's only fitting I would break out my favorite ice cream maker today.
Kahlúa Espresso Gelato Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup plus ¼ cup granulated sugar, divided
- 4 tablespoons instant espresso powder
- ⅓ cup Kahúla
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1½ cups dark chocolate covered espresso beans, crushed
Instructions
- Add the milk, cream, ⅓ cup of the sugar, espresso, kahlúa and vanilla to a medium-large saucepan. Stir to blend and place it over medium heat. Cook just until the sugar has completely dissolved, and it's beginning to simmer, a few minutes. Turn off the heat and leave this on the stove.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks with the remaining ¼ cup of sugar. Use an electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, on a high speed to blend until the eggs become thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes. (You can of course also use a hand whisk -- it will just take longer and use a lot of muscle.)
- Pour about 1 cup of the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture and immediately stir to blend. Then add this mixture back into the saucepan.
- Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly (a wooden spoon is best), until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 minutes. (Timing is important here -- you want to remove it as soon as it's at the point -- usually it's when I see the first couple of bubbles from the heat. If it goes too long it might curdle.)
- Place a strainer over a medium-sized bowl and pour the warm custard mixture through the strainer and into the bowl. Once it's at room temperature, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and ideally overnight.
- Transfer to an ice-cream/gelato maker, and freeze according to the machine's instructions.
- While the it's churning, crush the chocolate covered espresso beans. Here's how: add them to a heavy-duty, zip-lock bag and seal it, removing the air. Then use a meat mallet or the bottom of a small, heavy-bottomed sauté pan to crush the beans.
- Once the gelato is ready, gently mix in the crushed chocolate-covered espresso beans. Serve immediately if you want it very soft, or place it in the freezer until you're ready to serve.
Notes
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Dorothy at Shockinglydelicious
OMG! I don't drink coffee, but I do love the flavor of it in ice cream. HD is my favorite brand. MUST MAKE THIS!
valentina
I hope you do, Dorothy! Hope you and your family have a lovely Father's Day! 🙂
Bijouxs
Great recipe Valentina featuring the classic Kahlua, still love it. ~Bijouxs
valentina
Thank you, Lynn! 🙂
David
Valentina - what an incredibly sweet story of your husband's proposal! And thé photos of you and your father, and your husband and kids are great... What a terrific way to celebrate your wedding anniversary and two wonderful fathers! The gelato sounds absolutely fantastic.
valentina
Thanks so much, David. It was a proposal I'll never forget!
Colette @ JFF!
Valentina bella, you are just too cute.
I love the story and that pic of you guys from 2001! Shawn & I met in 2001, so it's a very good year for me.
This gelato is killer. My ice cream machine is MIA, but I'm going to dig for it today
because
I
have
to
have
this!
valentina
Colette -- I hope you find your machine! It's summer after all. 😉
Margo
So very, very good. We've made this twice already. In the spirit of celebrating avocados (as per your post a few days ago), you might try an avocado gelato...our whole foods makes it occasionally and it is just delicious (which surprised me at first)!
valentina
Thanks so much, Margo -- I'm trilled you tried it. The avocado gelato sounds interesting & yummy. Happy 4th! 🙂
Keith Heffner
So, I got a gelato/ice cream maker for Christmas this year and after spending way to much time deciding on a recipe, I made this one.
OMG. It turned out incredible. This one will be going into heavy rotation.
Also, I added in a tablespoon of Kahlua at the final five minutes and it take adds a little something extra while keeping the Gelato softer after the final freeze. Just a thought.
Thank you for posting this recipe!
valentina
Hi Keith, Thanks so much for writing in. I'm so happy you loved this gelato, and the addition of the Kahlua sounds incredibly delicious. I love it! So fun to have an ice cream maker, I use my year round. Cheers! 🙂 ~Valentina