Gelato al Bacio (Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato)

Here I go again, lost in a daydream of childhood flavors and smells….

Just like Proust and his famous Madleine, my mind can snap back to a precise moment of the otherwise hazy past, to a scene of my childhood, with just one small taste.

The sense of smell and taste have always been my sharpest and favorite ones, and they powerfully drive my experience of the world, maybe that is why food is so important to me.

That’s why the flavor of toasted hazelnut combined with chocolate, to me screams GELATO and SUMMERS AT THE BEACH, in Sanremo, where I was born.

In my eternal quest, this is another attempt  to recapture the flavors of my homeland and that vision of a happy, tanned and salty 7-year-old Vivica, savoring a giant cone of Gelato al Bacio with a scoop of freshly whipped cream slapped on top…

OK Enough reverie, let’s get to business.

This chocolate hazelnut gelato recipe came about quite by chance, by trying to make a sauce for the first (and only) Paleo Cheesecake I made for my friend’s teenage daughter. But as I threw those few and almost random ingredients into the food processor and mixed them up, magic happened!

Perfect consistency and almost perfect flavor! Just a few tweaks and there is was, almost exactly like the original.  The trick to this gelato is to use enough of the other ingredients and let the bananas really just give the base, without overpowering the flavor.

PLEASE do not forget that even though this is a relatively healthy dessert, it is still a food higher in sugar, and should be consumed occasionally and in moderation!!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Gelato al Bacio (Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato)

 

Author: Vivica Menegaz

Recipe type: Dessert

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Chocolate and roasted hazelnut gelato (bacio) is a classic Italian ice cream. Inspired by the famous chocolates "Baci Perugina" it has quickly become a summer favorite. This is the Paleo version, which gets remarkably close to the original.

Ingredients

• 3 organic bananas peeled, cut in rounds and frozen.
• ¼ cup dark cacao powder (organic and fair trade please!)
• 1 cup toasted hazelnuts
• 1 tablespoon liquid organic vanilla (this one is good and inexpensive!)

Instructions

1. Take the bananas out of the freezer about 10 minutes before starting the preparation
2. Grind the hazelnuts in a food processor or a coffee grinder, until reduced to a fine flour
3. Add all the ingredients to a food processor and mix well until smoothly blended
4. At this point the consistency should be perfect for serving.
5. The gelato can be re-frozen, but always take out of the freezer about 30 minutes before serving, or until desired softness is reached.
6. Serve with whole hazelnuts as decoration.

3.2.2265