Coffee Gelato

Step 1

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the 2 cups whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 0.75 cup sugar, 2 tbsp instant espresso powder, and 0.25 tsp salt. Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until steam rises and sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Do not boil.

Step 2

In a separate bowl, whisk the 4 egg yolks until pale and slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Slowly pour about 1 cup of the warm milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper them.

Step 3

Pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon and reaches 170°F, about 8-10 minutes. Do not let it simmer.

Step 4

Remove from heat and stir in the 1 tsp vanilla extract. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits.

Step 5

Cool the custard to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Then cover and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Step 6

Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, usually 20-25 minutes, until it has the consistency of soft-serve and holds its shape when lifted.

Step 7

Transfer the churned gelato to a freezer-safe container, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. Let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before scooping.