Chocolate-Hazelnut Gelato

I love this recipe, it's so smooth and creamy and almost better than American ice cream! You can use the base of this recipe without the Nutella to make any flavour of gelato you like. I've made rose gelato by just adding 2 tbsp. rose water to the base and a few drops of red food colouring to make a pink colour. So, play around with it, but at least try the Nutella before you make other flavours.

2 cups half & half
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup
4 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, crushed, for garnish, optional

In a saucepan combine the milk, half & half, and 1/2 cup sugar over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whip the egg yolks with the remaining sugar using an electric mixer until the eggs have become thick and pale yellow, about 4 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup of the warm milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture and stir.

Add this mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Place a strainer over a medium bowl and pour the warm custard mixture through the strainer. Stir in the vanilla and hazelnut spread until it dissolves.

Chill mixture for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight before pouring into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions to freeze.

To serve, scoop gelato in waffle cones, or waffle bowls and top with hazelnuts.