Gelato al Gianduia Was My Favorite in Italy, So I Made it at Home

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Ciao Italianista, what is your favorite gelato? Mine is gelato al gianduia. I don’t know if I love gianduia more for its rich, creamy, decadent, chocolaty, nutty flavor or for its name. Gianduia…..I wonder if I can make gelato gianduia at home?

Gianduia is simply a paste made from mixing hazelnuts with chocolate. But the name itself is like adding an exquisite ingredient. Gianduia sounds so much more delicious than hazelnut paste. And gelato al gianduia is another wonderful way to learn about the Italian language and culture.

Who is Gianduia?

Gianduia is a character from the Italian Commedia dell’Arte. Commedia dell’arte is a type of Italian theatre or puppetry popular in Europe from the 16th to the 18th century. The actors wear a mask of a stock character. The Gianduia character translates into English as “John of the Jug”. He is a happy, lecherous, archetypal Piedmontese man who is fond of drinking. He wears a tricorn hat and a brown jacket with red borders. Today Turin officially calls him “King of the Carnival”.

Then in 1806, Gianduia became the name for a chocolate and hazelnut spread made in Piedmont. Chefs invented it during the Napolean regime. Napolean had banned goods from Britain so chocolate became scarce and expensive in Italy. To make the chocolate go farther, the Piedmontese chefs added hazelnuts to the chocolate, and Gianduia was born.

The basic ingredients of gelato al gianduia are milk, sugar, hazelnuts, and chocolate. The fifth ingredient is culture and history. That is why Gelato al gianduia tastes so much better than hazelnut paste ice cream.

What’s the difference between ice cream and gelato?

Gelato is an Italian dessert very similar to ice cream. They are both made from milk, sugar, and air. The same ingredients but different proportions and methods. Gelato uses more milk than ice cream. Ice cream uses more cream which has a higher fat content. Ice cream also sometimes contains eggs used as a stabilizer. The result is Italian gelato is creamier and richer than ice cream and it contains less fat.

Gelato and ice cream both follow the same steps:

1. Make a basic custard by heating milk and sugar.
2. Cool it down.
3. Churn it.

To make ice cream, you have to churn it fast. Fast churning adds more air and makes the ice cream fluffy. To make gelato, you churn it slowly. Slow churning makes gelato smooth and creamy with less air.

Make gelato gianduia at home without a machine

Since gelato is churned slowly, it is perfect for making at home without a machine. Well, that is what I thought. The first time I made gelato, I made vanilla bean gelato. It tasted delicious. That is because I followed rule number one about making Italian food which is always to use the purest, freshest, most high-quality ingredients you can.

I used fresh whole milk, sugar, organic cream, a yolk from a free-range hen, and a fresh vanilla bean. One vanilla bean cost me $23.00. But it was worth it. The flavor of my first batch of homemade gelato was amazing. I was not satisfied though because it wasn’t creamy like gelato is supposed to be. It was too icy. I called this batch “icy milk”.

For my next attempt, I used a different gelato recipe. This time I whipped the cream before adding it to the milk. And instead of using a very expensive vanilla bean, I made a puree of fresh blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries. The color of the puree was very vivid just like gelato is supposed to be. I thought for sure I was going to succeed in making an authentic creamy, vivid-colored gelato. However, when I added the milk and the puree to the whipped cream, it became more like a smoothie. The color was also diluted and no longer vivid. Although it was delicious, it wasn’t gelato. I called this batch “smoothie in a pan”.

My third and final attempt at making homemade gelato without a machine is gelato al gianduia. This was a success! I called this batch “almost real gelato”. The only reason I can’t call it real gelato is because I made it here at home, not in Italy.

Why does gelato taste better in Italy?

Why is gelato so much better in Italy? Because, as you know, everything is better in Italy. Especially the food. Italy is the undisputed champion of European cuisine. Even with something as simple as gelato, Italians use the highest quality ingredients and the best techniques.

For example, for gelato al gianduia, technically you need to use milk from cows eating green grass in the spring preferably from Piedmont. And of course you can’t just use any hazelnuts. You have to use the hazelnuts grown in Piedmont because they are the sweetest. They are so sweet and delicate because of the soil. Strict rules in Piedmont protect the quality and reputation of these sweet nuts. 

But the other reason is, well, you are in Italy! When you are eating gelato in Rome, you are standing on a certain kind of floor. Probably beautiful shiny marble. You are looking up into a certain kind of ceiling. Very elegant with features of modern Italian design. Or perhaps some restored frescos. You are standing in line with Italians. They are talking, laughing, and shouting in Italian. Outside the cars sound different. The air smells different. Your feet hurt from walking around all day looking at amazing palazzi, paintings, and sculptures. So of course the rich creamy perfectly softened flavors of gelato taste better in Italy.

Nutella?

Did you realize that gianduia, is actually Nutella? In fact, when it was first invented, it was called pasta gianduia and it was sold as a solid block. Then the Italian company Ferrero sweetened it, made it more creamy, and called it Supercrema Gianduia.

In 1963, Ferrero changed its name to Nutella and marketed it throughout Europe. It became an instant success. Now kids all over the world spread Nutella on bread and make a delicious snack.

And Nutella is why the world now has an insatiable appetite for hazelnuts. Most hazelnuts are grown in Oregon and Turkey. But only the very sweetest ones grow in Piedmont, Italy.

What is your favorite gelato?

Now you know my favorite is gelato al gianduia. I liked it so much I learned to make it at home without a machine. What is your favorite? Does it also have an interesting name rich with history? Have you made your favorite gelato at home? Tell me in the comments below! Grazie!

Con amore,
Justine