This Almond and Orange Gelato combines zesty and juicy with toasty and nutty to create a surprisingly comforting, yet remarkable frozen treat. It will charm your taste buds at the first spoonful.

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As much as I like combining flavors in a creative way when I make gelato, I also often go back to tried-and-true classics. Though it may sound like a humble ingredient combination, this Almond and Orange Gelato is a timeless combination. After I made it for the first time, it instantly rose to the top of my list of favorite gelati flavors.

Orange and almonds are frequent pals in the sweet world. You’ll find them together in cakes, biscotti, and candies all over Italy’s cafés and pastry shops. But I find it to be especially striking in gelato form: of course, there’s the bright flavor of orange in there—a sure winner in my citrus-loving heart—but also the creamy, toasty flavor of almonds. The combination of almond and orange is surprisingly comforting, familiar yet remarkable. It inevitably charms taste buds at the first spoonful.

Though there are a lot of “flashier” gelato flavors to choose from, but I challenge you to give this Almond and Orange Gelato flavor a try. It’s wonderful served with juicy orange segments, with ripe summer fruits such as strawberries and apricots, and with any and all cakes.

Helpful Tips for Making Almond and Orange Gelato

• Toast those almonds up! Though it may sound like an annoying extra step, toasting the almonds makes the hugest difference in flavor. Don’t skip it! Also, make sure to pick skin-on almonds to get a beautifully flecked gelato. The almond skin doesn’t make a difference in taste though, so if you have blanched almonds on hand, go ahead and use them.

• Take a shortcut: Fan of an especially good store-bought almond butter? Feel free to skip the almond toasting + grinding steps and use that product instead. Make sure the butter is 100% almonds (no added oil, salt, or sugar) and is of an extra-smooth consistency.

• Keep that orange zest in: A lot of almond and orange gelato recipes instruct to strain the gelato custard to discard the orange zest, but I recommend you keep it in. It’ll fully blend into the mixture as you process it and you’ll enjoy 100% of the zest’s sweet, aromatic flavor.

Always remember to bring gelato out to room temperature 15 to 20 minutes before serving. One of the defining factors of gelato is that it is kept and served at a warmer temperature than ice cream is. This gives gelato its signature creamy texture and allows flavors to shine brighter. It also makes gelato much easier to scoop and serve.

How to Make Gelato Video Class

If you’ve never made gelato, I invite you to read my detailed how-to post about the process. You can also watch my video class: How to Make Gelato: Tips and Recipes to Make the Delightful Italian Frozen Treat. In it, you’ll find out what makes gelato different from ice cream, how to make a versatile gelato base you can turn into a variety of flavors, and all my secrets and tips to churn and serve outstanding gelato. I even share how to make dairy-free vegan gelato! In short, it’s a very thorough, colorful class that will quickly turn you into a gelato master. Watch Now!

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Almond and Orange Gelato

This humble looking Almond and Orange Gelato combines zesty and juicy with toasty and nutty to create a surprisingly comforting, yet remarkable frozen treat. It will charm your taste buds at the first spoonful.

 

Prep Time:25 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:4 hrs 35 mins

Author Marie Asselin, foodnouveau.com

Ingredients

• 1 batch Sicilian-Style Gelato Base omit the vanilla bean
• Finely grated zest from 2 oranges about 4 tbsp/60 ml orange zest
• 1 tbsp 15 ml Amaretto liqueur (such as Disaronno), or 1/2 tsp (2 ml) pure almond extract
• 1 cup 250 ml unsalted raw whole almonds, preferably skin on (blanched almonds work, too)

Instructions

Make the Sicilian-Style Gelato Base, then as soon as you take it off the heat, whisk in the finely grated orange zest and Amaretto liqueur or almond extract. Pour the gelato base into a bowl and gently place a piece of plastic wrap directly over the surface of the custard to prevent a film from forming. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight. The gelato base must be thoroughly cool before churning: this will produce the smoothest, silkiest texture.

• Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Spread the almonds over a baking sheet. Toast the almonds for 10 minutes, shaking the sheet once or twice. The almonds should be aromatic and blond on the inside. Transfer the almonds to a plate and let cool completely.
• Once the almonds have cooled to room temperature, use a stick blender or a mini food processor to grind them to a smooth butter consistency. Depending of the appliance you’re using, this can take between 3 to 5 minutes. You don’t need to add any liquid to facilitate the process, just some patience. Scrape down the container from time to time and keep grinding, you’ll get there.
• Measure out the almond butter to get 1/2 cup (125 ml). Store any remaining almond butter for tomorrow’s morning toast.
• Whisk the almond butter into the cool gelato base. Use a stand blender, a stick blender, or a food processor to fully combine and blend to a super smooth consistency. Strain, if desired, to remove leftover chunks, if any.
• Pour the almond and orange gelato custard into the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. Stop the machine when the gelato is thick and icy but still easily spoonable.
• Transfer the gelato to an airtight container and freeze until firm, about two hours. The gelato will keep, frozen, for up to two weeks. Always take the gelato out to room temperature 15 to 20 before serving to soften it and make it easier to scoop.

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