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    Home » Frozen Treats & Toppings

    Published Jul 26, 2019 · Updated Jun 18, 2022 · by Tammy Spencer · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Salted Caramel Swirl Gelato Ice Cream

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    One scoop of Caramel Swirl Almond Gelato drizzled with caramel sauce in a white bowl with another bowl behind Pinterest banner.
    One scoop of Caramel Swirl Almond Gelato drizzled with caramel sauce in a white bowl with another bowl behind Pinterest banner..

    This frozen custard-based gelato is flavored with vanilla and almond extracts and features a salted caramel sauce ribbon swirl. Rich, buttery, smooth, and creamy, it takes ice cream to new flavor heights!

    One scoop of Caramel Swirl Almond Gelato drizzled with caramel sauce in a white bowl with another bowl behind. this …

    [June, 2022: I've reworked the recipe and updated this post with all new pictures. Enjoy!]

    Why this recipe works

    • Rich and creamy gelato with a clean and smooth mouthfeel, even with less fat than ice cream
    • Including both vanilla and almond extracts produces soft, buttery-almond notes
    • Homemade salted caramel sauce offers a sweet and salty counterpoint to the creamy taste

    Summer is about ice cream, but not any ol' kind will do. As easy as it is to make homemade ice cream by freezing sweetened heavy cream, I prefer the luxury of making frozen custard. It has a rich and creamy mouthfeel, no matter how it's flavored.

    Now take that frozen custard up a notch by adding flavorings, mix-ins, and toppings, and you're starting to really have something. Chocolate Mint Marshmallow Ice Cream and Double Chocolate Mint Chip Gelato are just a few examples.

    Caramel is another flavor that works well in an ice cream. For this Salted Caramel Swirl Gelato flavored with vanilla and almonds, caramel sauce is used as a ribbon running through the scoop. This gelato recipe has a lot going for it!

    Jump to:
    • Why this recipe works
    • What you need
    • How to make homemade gelato
    • Questions asked and answered
    • Pro Tip: Make your own Salted Caramel Sauce
    • Caramel + Almond + Custard = Happiness
    • Related Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    What you need

    Key ingredients

    Like with many rich ice cream recipes, the gelato ingredients are based on a custard:

    Milk & Heavy Cream: Provides the basis for the dairy custard. Gelato has more milk than heavy cream, giving it less fat than ice cream, but still has that rich ice cream flavor and texture.

    Egg Yolks: Provides richness, flavor, and structure.

    Sugar: Besides a lovely sweetness, sugar helps modulate the thickening process so the yolks can cook without scrambling.

    Other ingredients

    Flavorings: Here we're using vanilla and almond extracts to add soft buttery-almond notes

    If you want to leave out the almond extract, just increase the vanilla extract to 1½ teaspoons. Better yet, infuse the milk mixture with a fresh vanilla bean, halved and scraped, letting it steep in the warm milk for 30 minutes. Rewarm the milk to steaming and remove the spent bean before tempering in the egg.

    For even more almond flavor and texture, consider adding ½ cup of chopped toasted almonds in during the last 30 seconds of churning.

    Salted Caramel Sauce: Swirled into the gelato before it gets too hard, this mix-in raises this salted caramel gelato to flavor heights! See the Pro Tip below on how to make it at home.

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    Caramel Swirl Almond Gelato ingredients portioned into glass bowls.
    Ingredients for caramel swirl gelato

    How to make homemade gelato

    Step 1: Make the custard base

    Heat the milk and heavy cream in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles form and it starts to steam. This takes about 6 to 7 minutes.

    Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the sugar is dissolved (photo 1).

    Collage of warming milk on a hot plate and egg yolks & sugar in a glass bowl.
    Starting the custard by heating the milk mixture and whisking the egg yolks and sugar

    Gently heat the egg mixture by slowly adding ½ cup of the warm milk to the egg mixture while continuously whisking. This process is called tempering the eggs. Add another ½ cup of milk and temper the egg mixture again (photo 2).

    Collage of tempering warm milk into the egg mixture.
    Slowly adding heated milk to the egg mixture

    Pour the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk (photo 3). Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat (don't let it boil).

    Pouring tempered eggs back into warmed milk in a pan on a hot plate.
    Adding the tempered egg mixture back into the pot

    Cook until the custard has thickened, stirring constantly, about 4 to 6 minutes. It should coat the back of the spoon and leave a trail when you draw your finger through it (photo 4).

    Thickened custard leaving a trail on a spatula over a pan of cooked custard on a hot plate.
    This custard is ready!

    Step 2: Strain and chill the custard base

    Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl (photo 5). If the custard boiled during thickening, straining it out will help remove any curdled bits of egg.

    Collage of adding extracts to custard, then straining it.
    Flavoring and straining the custard base

    Cool the base using an ice bath (½ ice cubes, ½ water, reaching halfway up the sides of the bowl). Stir the custard occasionally until it's cooled to room temperature (a digital thermometer should read around 70 to 80˚F). This helps to prevent any bad organisms growing in the custard as it cools (photo 6).

    Collage of taking temperature of hot custard chilling in an ice bath.
    Cooling the base quickly in an ice bath reduces the chance for bacterial contamination

    Place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the custard and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight (photo 7). Chilled custard can be kept in the refrigerator for several days. For the best results, make sure the base is about 40˚F prior to churning.

    Cooled custard in a metal bowl ready to be chilled overnight.
    Cooled custard base ready to be chilled in the refrigerator

    Step 3: Churn the gelato

    Pour the custard into an ice cream maker and freeze per the manufacturer’s instructions, about 25 to 30 minutes (photo 8).

    The ice cream maker I'm using is a KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment for a KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Another good option is a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker.

    Collage of before and after churning chilled gelato base.
    Churning the chilled custard base into soft gelato

    The finished gelato will have a soft consistency (photo 9).

    Spoon of gelato lifted from the ice cream maker after churning.
    Freshly churned gelato will have a soft texture

    Step 4: Layer in the caramel sauce

    Transfer ⅓ of the gelato to a freezer-safe container and drizzle ⅓ of the caramel sauce over it. Repeat layering with remaining gelato and caramel sauce, then smooth the top using a small offset spatula (photo 10).

    Collage of layering caramel sauce into churned gelato placed in a tub.
    Creating the caramel ribbon swirl

    Step 5: Ripen the gelato

    Freeze the gelato for 2 to 4 hours to allow gelato to firm up, a process called ripening (photo 11).

    Finished Caramel Swirl Almond Gelato in a tub from overhead.
    This gelato is soft, so it'll need a few hours in the freezer to firm up

    Questions asked and answered

    Here are some questions you might have...

    What's the difference between ice cream and gelato?

    Recipes for homemade ice cream are fairly straightforward. At its most basic all you really need is heavy cream and a sweetener (that’s the base). After that you flavor your base as you please (vanilla beans, chocolate, mint…) and add mix-ins if you'd like (chocolate chips, nuts, marshmallow creme, cookie crumbs). Generally speaking, ice cream base starts cold from the refrigerator, so you don't have to wait for it to chill before churning it.

    Gelato uses the same method, but its base typically has twice as much milk than heavy cream, so it has a lower butterfat content than ice cream. Great flavor, less calories.

    How is frozen custard different?

    An ice cream custard base (aka frozen custard) is in the same family as pastry cream (that's Crème Pâtissière for you purists). That is, it's a cooked base that's thickened with egg yolks. That base must be chilled before churning it in an ice cream maker.

    The benefit is that frozen custard is richer in flavor and has more body than regular ice cream. However, with that added richness comes added calories.

    What happens if you over churn ice cream?

    The importance of chilling your base to no more than 40˚F cannot be overstated. If you put warm base into your ice cream maker, it will take much longer to churn and you run the risk of having the finished ice cream turn icy and grainy.

    Also, you have to firm up your ice cream in the freezer after churning it. The ice cream maker will produce a soft product, and churning the base longer won't harden it the way ripening does. Again, trying to ripen in the ice cream maker only increases the odds that the finished product will be grainy.

    Tub of Caramel Swirl Almond Gelato drizzled with caramel sauce with a scooper & almonds from overhead.

    Pro Tip: Make your own Salted Caramel Sauce

    To make the Salted Caramel Sauce, prepare a Basic Caramel Sauce and add 1 teaspoon of salt after you remove the caramel from the heat. You won't need the entire amount, but then you have some to drizzle on top of your scoop!

    One scoop of Caramel Swirl Almond Gelato drizzled with caramel sauce in two white bowls next to a spoon & almonds from overhead.

    Caramel + Almond + Custard = Happiness

    Salted Caramel Swirl Gelato has got to be one of the best ice cream recipes (ahem…gelato!) I’ve ever made, and I’ve made a fair few. It's rich and creamy, with soft buttery-almond notes that contrast well with the sweet and salty caramel sauce. This gelato recipe produces a taste sensation that's clean and smooth in the mouth.

    For even more almond flavor and texture, consider adding ½ cup of chopped toasted almonds in during the last 30 seconds of churning.

    Scoop of Caramel Swirl Almond Gelato drizzled with caramel sauce in a white bowl with jar of caramel sauce & spoon behind.

    Salted Caramel Swirl gelato is a frozen custard that's really extraordinary. Serve it with a drizzle of extra caramel sauce, and get ready to experience something special!

    Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!

    Tammy

    Related Recipes

    I scream, you scream, we all scream to make ice cream, gelato, sherbet, and sorbet! Whether you're craving something basic like Vanilla Ice Cream (where the best comes from your kitchen), or something fancier like Caramel Swirl Almond Gelato (with less fat than ice cream), you've got lots of choices for homemade frozen treats

    How will you top your ice cream? I've got recipes for all sorts of toppings, from Hot Fudge Sauce to Butterscotch and Caramel. So many yummy choices, the examples below will just get you started.

    And if you want to share your frozen desserts with family and friends, why not hold an ice cream social? You'll find some clever suggestions here to get you started planning the perfect party! 

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    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a comment further down the page.

    I'd love to hear from you! Stay in touch on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and please tag me using the hashtag #scotchandsconesblog. You can also sign up for my mailing list. I can't wait to see your creations!

    Recipe

    One scoop of Caramel Swirl Almond Gelato drizzled with caramel sauce in a white bowl with another bowl behind.

    Salted Caramel Swirl Gelato Ice Cream

    Tammy Spencer
    This frozen custard-based gelato is flavored with vanilla and almond extracts and features a salted caramel sauce ribbon swirl. Rich, buttery, smooth, and creamy, it takes ice cream to new flavor heights!
    Adapted from Savory Simple and Epicurious
    4.67 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Inactive 9 hours hrs
    Total Time 9 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 337 kcal

    Equipment

    • fine mesh strainer
    • digital thermometer
    • ice cream maker
    • small offset spatula
    Prevent your screen from going dark while cooking

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the custard base

    • 2 cups milk
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
    • ¾ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ½ teaspoon almond extract, see Recipe Notes

    For the caramel drizzle

    • salted caramel sauce, see Recipe Notes

    Instructions
     

    • Make the custard base: Heat the milk and heavy cream in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles form and it starts to steam. This takes about 6 to 7 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the sugar is dissolved.
    • Gently heat the egg mixture by slowly adding ½ cup of the warmed milk mixture to the egg mixture while continuously whisking. Add another ½ cup of the milk mixture and whisk again. This process is called tempering the eggs, and its purpose is to heat the eggs slowly, preventing them from curdling while the pudding cooks.
    • Pour the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat (don't let it boil). Cook until the custard has thickened, stirring constantly, about 4 to 6 minutes. It should coat the back of the spoon and leave a trail when you draw your finger through it.
    • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. If the custard boiled during thickening, straining it out will help remove any curdled bits of egg.
    • Cool the base using an ice bath (½ ice cubes, ½ water, reaching halfway up the sides of the bowl). Stir the custard occasionally until it's cooled to room temperature (a digital thermometer should read about 80 °F).
    • Place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the custard and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. Chilled custard can be kept in the refrigerator for several days. For the best results, make sure the base is about 40 °F prior to churning.
    • Churn the gelato: Pour the cold base into an ice cream maker and freeze per the manufacturer’s instructions, about 25 to 30 minutes. The finished gelato will have a soft consistency.
    • Layer in the caramel sauce: Transfer ⅓ of the gelato to a freezer-safe container and drizzle ⅓ of the caramel sauce over it. Repeat layering with remaining gelato and caramel sauce, then smooth the top using a small offset spatula.
    • Ripen the gelato: Freeze the gelato for 2 to 4 hours to allow it to firm up, a process called ripening. Serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    If you want to leave out the almond extract, just increase the vanilla extract to 1½ teaspoons. Better yet, infuse the milk mixture with a fresh vanilla bean, halved and scraped, letting it steep in the warm milk 30 minutes before tempering in the egg. Remove the spent bean before tempering the mixture into the eggs.
    To make the Salted Caramel Sauce, prepare a Basic Caramel Sauce and add 1 teaspoon of salt after you remove the caramel from the heat. You won't need the entire amount, but then you have some to drizzle on top of your scoop!
    The ice cream maker I'm using is a KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment for my KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Another good option is a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker.
    For even more almond flavor and texture, consider adding ½ cup of chopped toasted almonds in during the last 30 seconds of churning.

    Your Notes

    Click here to add your own private notes

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 servingCalories: 337 kcalCarbohydrates: 37 gProtein: 5 gFat: 19 gSaturated Fat: 12 gCholesterol: 161 mgSodium: 51 mgPotassium: 126 mgSugar: 36 gVitamin A: 836 IUVitamin C: 1 mgCalcium: 112 mgIron: 1 mg
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Shira Duff says

      July 26, 2019 at 6:38 am

      5 stars
      Those pictures!! Looks so good!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Tammy! My fascination with baking comes from my love of science and the magic of bringing together ingredients to produce something yummy. Coupling that with my appreciation of scotches and bourbons, I love to bake stuff, jot down my whisky tasting notes, and share my experiences with you!

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