Coffee Gelato

Instructions

1. Combine whole milk, heavy cream, skim milk powder, salt, and the split vanilla bean with its scraped seeds in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium until just simmering around the edges, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes to infuse deep vanilla aroma.
2. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and half of the granulated sugar until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened.
3. Remove the vanilla bean pod from the milk mixture. Warm the espresso powder lightly by mixing it with 2 tbsp of hot milk from the saucepan to dissolve fully.
4. Slowly whisk the espresso milk mixture into the egg yolks, then gradually add the remaining warm milk mixture, tempering the yolks to prevent curdling.
5. Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and reaches 170-175°F (77-79°C). Ensure it does not boil.
6. Remove the custard from heat and stir in the dissolved espresso powder thoroughly, ensuring a smooth, robust coffee flavor.
7. Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until fully chilled.
8. Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches a creamy, soft-serve texture, about 20-25 minutes.
9. Transfer the gelato to a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze for at least 4 hours to set before serving.