“The secret to the deep hazelnut flavour of this gelato is slow roasting the nuts until they are a dark golden brown and deliciously aromatic,” Mario Batali* writes in his Molto Gusto cookbook. He advocates roasting them for 25-30 minutes and says, “Be brave…this is what gives this gelato its intense flavour.” And he is right; Martha Stewart only advocates 8-10 minutes, not enough time. In taking the best of both worlds, here is a recipe, combining both chefs’ – and Ricardo’s – ideas. *(Yes, Batali and Stewart were disgraced but their recipes were the best)

1. Preheat oven to 350F (or 176C).
2. On a baking sheet, roast at least two cups of Basse or other raw hazelnuts for 25-30 minutes, until they are fragrant and almost give off a slightly burnt aroma. (Other brands available on Amazon.ca).
3. Just before the nuts are done, bring two cups of milk to a simmer in a heavy sauce pan, like a Le Creuset or something similar. Remove from heat.
4. When the nuts are done and still warm, use a food processor to grind them coarsely, somewhere between a powder and a paste. Be careful to avoid a paste, as this brings out oils you want to save for the steeping.
5. Here is the controversial part: it’s not necessary to peel them. (If you feel that’s important, then use a towel to scrape them together to remove the skins). However, as you will be steeping them in milk for a relatively limited time, the skins will only add to the flavour, and not provide unwelcome acidity; this is the benefit of grinding them while warm.
6. Stir the nuts into the hot milk, cover and let them steep for at least 45 minutes.
7. Then strain the milk through a fine mesh into the saucepan, making sure you have at least three cups still; the nuts tend to absorb some of the liquid. (Reserve some for chopping into the gelato as it’s almost finished).
8. Add one cup of heavy cream* and ¾ cup of sugar; then heat to dissolve. (I always lower the sugar content of most published recipes, as they turn out too sweet but if that’s your preference, use the full cup).
9. Egg yolks are in many gelato and ice cream recipes and are a natural emulsifier, binding water and fat and helping to obtain a smooth, creamy texture while incorporating more air in the finished product. Batali advocates for a stunning 10 egg yolks and Steward suggests five. Four or five will do as the Serious Eats study proves; beyond that the difference cannot be discerned.
10. With an immersion blender or whisk, mix an additional ¼ cup of sugar and a pinch of salt until the eggs are pale yellow.
11. Temper them by mixing small quantities of warm milk in the eggs and gradually whisk; once a cup or so is incorporated, add the egg mixture back to the milk. This is done so the eggs don’t scramble though later the mixture is poured through a sieve one more time.
12. Chill overnight and churn in a Cuisinart or similar ice cream machine. Add a few chopped roasted nuts for texture and flavour.