DIY These To-Die-For Gelato Sundae Cones


Gelato, that once exotic-sounding Italian treat, has officially gone mainstream here in the U.S. Over the past year, the grocery store freezer aisle has debuted new gelatos from such ice cream stalwarts as Häagen-Dazs and Breyer’s, as well as smaller companies like Ciao Bella and Talenti.

But How Is It Different From Ice Cream?
There are two distinct differences between ice cream and gelato: The base and the prep method. The custard base for ice cream consists of egg yolks and cream. Gelato's base does not include egg yolks and is made with milk (this means gelato is usually lower in fat, so YAY!). This, along with slightly different churning speeds, gives gelato a denser and less “fluffy” (with air) texture than ice cream. To make it easier to scoop, gelato shops actually set their freezers to a slightly higher temperature than ice cream places. If you’ve ever had gelato from a gelateria, you’ll notice that, while the texture is technically denser, it’s actually a little softer than ice cream.

So, Which Is Better?
It’s completely up to you. So grab a spoon and find a new favorite. The exciting, outside-the-box flavors featured in all these new gelatos (think tiramisu, pistachio, German chocolate cake, brown sugar caramel, raspberry cheesecake…) make them oh-so fun to experiment with. They're the perfect base for a sophisticated, homemade sundae cones, just like the ones from your neighborhood ice cream truck.

With That In Mind, I Got Creative...
I raided our Test Kitchen fridge and pantry stash and wound up creating five amazing sundae concoctions. I paired Häagen-Dazs’s Black Cherry Amaretto gelato with a finely chopped pistachio topping, Talenti’s Fudge Brownie with toasted coconut flakes, Ciao Bella’s Hazelnut Caffé with Heath bar toffee bits, and Talenti’s Caramel Apple Pie with finely chopped pecans. (Of course, you could always use regular ice cream, too.)

Here’s how to do it:
1. Melt 8 ounces chocolate chips (milk, dark, or even white!). Stir in 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil until well mixed.

2. Drizzle a little chocolate into the bottom of a sugar cone. Using a small pastry brush, brush the rest of the insides of the cone with a very thin layer of the melted chocolate. Place the cone in a short glass or jar to keep it upright. Repeat with 5 more sugar cones. Freeze until chocolate hardens, about 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Using a small spoon, add your gelato of choice to the cone in little spoonfuls, up to the top, gently packing it down. Then top with 1 large, round scoop of gelato, gently pressing down so it settles onto the cone; return to its small glass and freeze until gelato is very solid, about 30 to 45 minutes. Repeat with remaining cones and gelato (if you’re making all 6 cones, you’ll need about 2 pints of gelato).

4. Place coating of choice (chopped nuts, toasted coconut, crushed cookies, toffee bits) in shallow bowl. If necessary, briefly reheat chocolate until runny, but not quite warm, stirring until smooth.

5. Working quickly, brush gelato ball with a thin coating of chocolate and press it into the coating until the nuts adhere (you gotta work fast, because that chocolate sets pretty quickly and once it does, you can’t get the crunchy coating to stick).

6. Return to glass and freeze until set, about 30 minutes. Repeat with remaining cones.

To enjoy, take the cone out of the freezer for a couple of minutes before trying to sink your teeth into it; follow with a frolic through the sprinklers, if desired.


Photos: Ryan Benyi Photography/Getty Images; Sherry Rujikarn