Step 1: Roast the Hazelnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Spread raw hazelnuts on a baking sheet in a single layer.
3. Roast for 12-15 minutes, stirring halfway through, until fragrant and skins are darkened and starting to crack. Watch carefully—they go from perfect to burnt quickly!
4. Transfer hot hazelnuts to a clean kitchen towel. Wrap them up and let steam for 1-2 minutes.
5. Rub the hazelnuts vigorously in the towel to remove most of the skins. Don’t worry if some skin remains—it adds flavor!
6. Let hazelnuts cool completely, then roughly chop them.

Step 2: Infuse the Milk

1. In a food processor or high-powered blender, grind the roasted, cooled hazelnuts until they form a coarse flour or paste (don’t turn it into butter—stop when it’s finely ground but still dry-ish).
2. In a medium saucepan, combine milk, cream, half the sugar (about ⅜ cup), and the ground hazelnuts.
3. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture just begins to steam and tiny bubbles form around the edges (do NOT boil). About 5-7 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 30 minutes to 1 hour. The longer it steeps, the more intense the hazelnut flavor.
5. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl, pressing on the hazelnut solids to extract maximum flavor. Discard the solids. You now have hazelnut-infused milk!

Step 3: Make the Custard (Gelato Base)

1. Return the strained hazelnut milk to the saucepan. Add the remaining sugar and the pinch of salt. Heat over medium heat until steaming (about 150°F), stirring to dissolve sugar.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth.
3. Tempering technique: Slowly drizzle about 1 cup of the hot hazelnut milk into the egg yolks while whisking constantly. This gradually raises the egg temperature without scrambling them.
4. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hazelnut milk, whisking constantly.
5. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 170-175°F on an instant-read thermometer). This takes 5-8 minutes. Do NOT let it boil or the eggs will scramble!
6. The custard is ready when you can run your finger through the coating on the spoon and it leaves a clear trail.
7. Immediately remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract if using.

Step 4: Chill the Base

1. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl to remove any bits.
2. Set up an ice bath (large bowl filled with ice and water) and place the bowl of custard in it. Stir occasionally until cooled to room temperature.
3. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface (prevents skin formation) and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. The base must be completely cold (40°F or below) before churning!

Step 5: Churn the Gelato

1. Make sure your ice cream maker bowl is properly frozen (if using that type).
2. Pour the chilled custard into your ice cream maker.
3. Churn according to manufacturer’s instructions, typically 20-30 minutes, until the mixture has thickened to soft-serve consistency. Gelato is churned more slowly than ice cream and should be denser.
4. The gelato is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the bowl and has a smooth, thick texture.

Step 6: Freeze

1. Transfer the churned gelato to an airtight freezer container.
2. Press plastic wrap directly against the surface to prevent ice crystals.
3. Freeze for at least 2-4 hours until firm enough to scoop.
4. For serving, let gelato sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften slightly—gelato is traditionally served at a slightly warme