Italian Double Chocolate Chip Gelato

Double Chocolate Chip Gelato is an intense chocolate-flavored luscious and rich creamy Italian ice cream.


There really isn't anything better than this decadent ice cream dessert.


Ice cream has more cream where gelato is more milk.


In Italy, you will be amazed not only at the vibrant colors and flavors but some shops like in Rome churn it right in front of you.


The frozen smooth custard-like texture just melts on your tongue and makes a lasting impression to find this is a gourmet treat like no other.


Chocolate seems to be the flavor of choice in our home always.


With just a few changes of ingredients, you can change this to a Pistachio Gelato (which is in the recipe card below) that changes this basic recipe into another favorite.


We love making ice creams of all kinds and my family just loves Banana Split Ice Cream, Nutter Butter Vanilla Ice Cream which are two American favorites in our home.


Scroll down to the printable recipe card to get the recipes for these gelato recipes we love tasting wy gelato is a worldwide sensation!

Italian Lemon Ice

If you have ever wondered how to make Italian lemon ice, look no further, this is a perfect smooth refreshing ice that comes out exactly like those Italian pastry bakeries that sell this addicting ice in Central and Upstate New York.

Delicious smooth ice that is bursting with lemon peel and not shaved like those icy ones you get in the supermarket.

This ice can be made in your freezer in simple containers or by purchasing an ice cream maker to whip this so it turns into a soft sorbet almost like snow!

If you are looking to cool off on those hot summer days, this will do the trick for sure and quench your thirst deliciously.

During the hot summers in Central Utica, New York, we couldn't wait until May when all the Italian pastry shops started to put this back on their menu after a long hard cold winter.

My hometown Utica is famous for so many Italian specialties like this one and so much more Tomato Pie, Italian Greens, Pizza Fritta, Chicken Riggies, Manny's Cheesecake, Oscugnizzo Pizza, Pusties and Rosato Chocolate Cookies.

This Italian Lemon Ice was always something we had to look forward to when growing up and making it in your own kitchen is easier than you may think.

My dad would always have this in our freezer when it first hit the stores, then when I couldn't find it here in Florida, it was time to learn the tricks on how to make it.

I promise you this recipe will not disappoint you and our step-by-step directions will impress everyone who takes that first spoonful.

Just scroll down to the recipe card and follow these step-by-step instructions and you will never have to buy it again.

Ice Cream Cone Easter Basket Cupcakes

When I think of Easter I think of baking, cooking, festive treats, and of course Easter Baskets.

I love seeing the kid's and adult's faces when they see food art like these little adorable and yummy cupcakes!

These are fun projects for the kids and will put a smile on anyone's face that's eating them.

They are pretty easy to make, just a little time-consuming.

These cupcake cone cupcakes are just a joy to make and so delicious too!

Once you make them a few times, it gets easier and no two look alike, these are perfect for individual personalized sharing!

Enjoy this fun Easter project with your family and get creative, use any kind of edible decorations you like.

Buona Pasqua! Which is (Happy Easter in Italian) from our family to yours.

Boozy Pineapple Colada Popsicle Recipe

I really love the fresh taste of fruit frozen in a Popsicle.

This adult treat has all the characteristics of a pina colada.

You will taste pineapple, coconut, and of course rum.


This tropical frozen treat really makes you feel a piece of the island flavors and surely will cool you off on those hot days and summer nights.

Boozy Adult Popsicle Recipes

I loved Popsicle's as a little girl and now as an Adult. I love to make all kinds of flavors, adding some alcohol makes these for Adults only. You can always substitute juice like pineapple, orange, apple or grape to make them a non alcohol Popsicle. After all these years I finally invested in a Popsicle mold ( I would use ice cube trays and toothpicks) and boy do I ever love my new toy.  It's just the beginning of a wonderful summer of fun and experimenting to keep cool!   Here are some suggestions below on flavor combinations and check out the video for more instructions.

Basic Recipe:

3 cups Strawberries (fruit must be cut up) pureed in a food processor (other suggestions would be pineapple, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, peaches, bananas or kiwi)

1/2 cup coconut rum

1/2 cup pina colada mix or cream of coconut (use all pineapple juice for non alcohol.)

8 cup Popsicle molds with sticks

Blend the fruit of choice in a food processor or high powered blender add the rum and colada mix, you can substitute apple juice, grape juice or anything else you like in it place. Strain in a fine mesh sieve. 

Other sugggestion combinations:

Add  any two kinds of fruits together, bananas, strawberries, berries, kiwi, pineapple, etc.
1/2 cup apple juice, grape juice, pineapple juice or orange juice
1/2 cup of liqueur of choice, Vodka, Rum, Flavored Vodka's or flavored Rum. Proceed with above instructions.

Peach Bellini:
3 cups sliced peaches 
1/2 cup peach schnapps or orange juice
1/2 cup white wine preferably Pino Grigio

Berry Cabernet:
3 cups berries raspberry, blackberry or blueberry
1/2 cup Cabernet
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup juice like grape or apple

Margarita Pops:
1/2 cup fine sugar
zest of 1 lime
6 chopped passion fruit or kiwi, mango, papaya, pineapple
1/3 cup lime juice
1 cup water
3 tablespoons Tequila
1 tablespoons Cointreau

In a saucepan bring sugar, water and lime zest to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes to dissolve sugar. Stir in remaining ingredients. Add to pop molds, if using passion fruit when it's half way frozen stir to mix the seeds evenly.

Chocolate Rum Popsicle
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups milk
1/2 cup white rum
2 egg yolks
1 cup chocolate chopped (good grade like Lindt)
1/4 cup fine sugar

Bring the milk and heavy cream to a boil. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
Place the chocolate in a glass bowl and pour the milk over the top. Stir until melted. Add the rum. Whisk the eggs and sugar in a bowl and then blend with chocolate mixture.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for around 2 hours. Place in an ice cream maker. Churn around 20 minutes. Pour into the pop molds and insert sticks. Freeze for around 24 hours before removing.

+claudia lamascolo  Author

Best Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream

What a delightful treat for the fall with this refreshing pumpkin spice ice cream. This also takes on the characteristics of pumpkin pie with a little bits of chocolate and crust. This delicious confection will surely bring a smile to all that love pumpkin. The best part about it is, that you will now be able to make the recipe all year long. Of course, waiting for fall will make you look forward to this treat in those cooler months and certainly put a smile on your face.  I like to save certain flavors that remind me of spring, summer, fall or winter,  to make the seasons more special and make those treasured recipes those times of the year.  Give this a try you will be pleasantly surprised as it is truly the best pumpkin ice cream I have ever imagined and it goes along famously with a piece of pumpkin pie for the Holiday!



If you must use the old-fashioned stir method and don't own an ice cream maker, no problem!  Have patience and stir every 15 minutes when placing it in your freezer container. Freeze and keep stirring until smooth and set, it takes a lot of stirring to be super creamy. This one is done in an ice cream maker and is so worth the investment!


Here's the Recipe! Enjoy

Make sure milk and cream are well chilled:

1 1/2 cup whole milk or half and half
1 cup light brown sugar
1 3/4 cup fresh or canned pumpkin puree (do not use pumpkin pie filling) my pumpkin is freshly homemade click here or use canned
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of each pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and ginger
2 tablespoon molasses
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Last added at the end:

1 cup semi-sweet grated, shaved or small pieces of chocolate
1 cup crumbled cinnamon graham crackers.

In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, milk, brown sugar, and molasses, for around 3 minutes.  Add and whisk in the puree, spices, and vanilla. Pour in the heavy cream and blend well.
Place in the ice cream maker.

Let churn for at least 25 minutes then check, I taste it, sometimes takes 30 minutes or according to the directions on your ice cream maker.

Scoop in the ice cream into your container and layer with chocolate and graham cracker filling into a freezer container alternating ice cream then the chocolate and crumbled graham crackers ending with ice cream. Smooth over.  Freeze for at least 2 to 3 hours before serving.



For more recipes using Pumpkin see the links below:

Pumpkin Pistachio Biscotti
Glazed Pumpkin Spiced Breakfast Scones
Pumpkin Mini Turnovers
Baked Mini Pumpkin Donuts

Pistachio Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream Recipe

Homemade Pistachio Ice with Pistachio's and Chocolate Chunks is probably my favorite ice cream of all time for a combination of perfect flavors for my taste! I really love to top it off with hot fudge, whipped cream and a cherry! I just didn't want to cover up the creamy photo with all those trimmings! If you want to treat yourself make it homemade and don't pay for that expensive small container of ice cream in the supermarket, make it yourself it's worth the 25 minutes in your ice cream maker. This is now my second time making ice cream homemade,

I will never buy it again.

Homemade Pistachio Ice Cream with Chocolate Chunks:

1 cup whole milk or half and half well chilled
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2  teaspoons almond extract or Amaretto is only Adults eat this
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup shelled pistachio's white ones not red
1 cup chocolate chunks or chopped ( a premium brand good grade chocolate like Lindt)

In a medium bowl whisk together the sugar and milk blending around 3 minutes until the sugar is dissolved.  Stir in the flavoring and heavy cream. For best result place in a freezer container and freeze for 3 hours before adding to machine.  Pour into the ice cream maker and churn for around 25 to 30 minutes. Ice cream is soft. Add the nuts and chocolate to stir in 5 minutes before your ice cream is done, I turn on the timer. Pour into an air tight container with a plastic film cover or an ice cream container with an air tight cover on top and place into the freezer until ready to use. Take it out 10 minutes before serving.

Love Peanut Butter Cups?  Try this  Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream recipe, it's the last ice cream I made,  click here.

+claudia lamascolo       Author

Banana Split Ice Cream Recipe

Since I purchased and ice cream maker I can't find another dessert I love more. I know the ingredients are wholesome and much better for you, ( although fattening), however after looking at the ingredients in the store with many high fructose and can't pronounce ingredients, I'm sold that this is healthier no matter how fattening it is. With moderation you can enjoy the wonderful rich taste of a wonderful confection this gives. The ice cream is smooth, rich and full of flavor. The fruit accents it perfectly!