Stracciatella Gelato Recipe (No-Churn)

This no-churn stracciatella gelato is made with only 4 ingredients, is very easy to make, and has an ultra creamy texture. A family favorite all year round!

What is Stracciatella Gelato?

Stracciatella comes from the word stracciato which means ripped, torn, ragged. The Italian word is used in the recipe to recall the small chocolate flakes that form when chocolate is added to gelato during its preparation.

Gelato is the Italian name for ice cream, even though, gelato is made differently so the flavor and texture are not exactly the same.

The gelato stracciatella recipe was invented by Enrico Panattoni who lived and worked in Bergamo, northern Italy.

The gelataio wanted to do something new for the restaurant he owned (La Marianna), so he was inspired by the roman soup stracciatella in brodo and made the stracciatella gelato, becoming quickly one of the most requested gelato flavors in his restaurant.

By the way, Ristorante la Marianna is still open these days and you can still enjoy their famous gelato.

Why You Should Make This Recipe

• No special equipment needed: This is an easy version for creamy Italian gelato. So you can make it at home even if you don’t have an ice cream maker.
• Only 4 ingredients: It only takes a few wholesome ingredients to concoct, and none of those is hard to find. 
• Perfect for any season: Perfect for summer and special events when you need a super easy dessert to make, yet something you know everybody will love. Think of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Birthdays!
• Super easy to make: The recipe is really straightforward and easy as pie to make! Prep doesn’t include heating any ingredients or using the stove. Just whip, fold, and freeze.
• It can be turned into ice popsicles. Oh yes! Fill small paper cups with the mixture, insert a stick, then freeze to make handy ice cream pops. Kids love those!

The Ingredients Needed

• Whipping cream – To make it fluffy so you won’t need an ice cream maker. Adding whipped cream prevents the mixture from becoming hard so it keeps it smooth and easy to eat. Just as any regular ice cream!
• Condensed milk – Adds lots of sugar which help to prevent ice cream from getting icy. And you can even make your own condensed milk at home!
• Dark chocolate – Use a good quality dark chocolate, chopped. If you want to use chocolate chips I recommend you chop them roughly to add the perfect texture and crunchiness.
• Vanilla extract – To add a bit of flavor and scent. I like to use Mexican vanilla extract.

Now let’s see how to make this easy recipe. But before starting, choose the container where you’d like to store your ice cream once made. Below you can check our tips for storing this recipe.

How To Make No-Churn Stracciatella Ice Cream

Place whipping cream in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.

In a small bowl add the condensed milk, vanilla extract, and 4 tablespoons of the whipped cream. Mix until everything is nicely combined.

Incorporate the condensed milk mixture into the whipped cream using a spatula and gently fold until everything is combined.

Add the chocolate and mix it for a couple of seconds. Make sure you do not over mix since you want to keep as much air in the ice cream as possible.

Place the gelato mixture into a container, cover with cling film or parchment paper, and place in the freezer until firm (3 to 5 hours).

To serve, remove the stracciatella gelato from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes so it can soften a bit and become easier to scoop out.

Serving Suggestions

Stracciatella gelato is the perfect frozen summer treat but also an easy hassle-free dessert for family dinners, here are some suggestions to serve it:

• Sauces: Drizzled with chocolate or caramel sauce.
• Dried fruits: Think of pistachios, hazelnuts, pecans, dried cranberries, etc.
• Crumbs: Add your favorite cookie crumbs on top, for an authentic Italian eating experience, try our amaretti cookies recipe.
• Whipped cream: Because there’s something decadent in topping ice cream with more…well, cream!
• Pie: A big scoop of this gelato on top of a warm slice of pear crostata. Heaven!

How To Store

Homemade gelato is very easy to store and can last for a couple of weeks. Just take in mind that, it doesn’t have the preservatives as store-bought ice cream has. So, better to eat it within 3 weeks.

To store it, transfer the mixture to a freezer-proof container, use a spatula to even the top and then add a layer of parchment paper. The pepper will prevent the mixture from forming an ice layer on top, ruining the texture of your ice cream.

Similar Recipes

• Italian Mascarpone Gelato. Decadent, super creamy, and topped with fresh figs, this delicious ice cream is a keeper!
• Mexican corn ice cream. We share our two methods to make this delicious frozen dessert.
• Easy No Churn Mango Ice Cream. Jessica from “Best Dessert Recipes” shares this fantastic and refreshing tropical treat.

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