Chocolate Almond Gelato Dairy Free Gluten-Free

Chocolate Almond Gelato Dairy Free RecipePerhaps we should open an ice cream shop in Europe, we could eat it all day long and it would of course be more economical, Corina said. When the temperatures soar there is one thing we can just never get enough of…ice cream (or more specifically gelato, a creamier and more luxurious version of traditional ice cream) and when the summer heat comes around we simply can’t resist our craving for that creamy chilled confection no matter where we are.

Chocolate Almond Gelato Dairy Free Gluten Free This summer we happened to be in Europe due to a family emergency with Judit’s 94 year old father, which turned out fine and reminded us that life is full of miracles. During our stay we visited family, traveled to several destinations like Norway, Sweden, Ireland and Hungary, and imbibed in copious amounts of gelato. After Italy, you can find some of the best and most unique flavors of gelato in Budapest. Corina’s record for a day was 3 large waffle cones with a total of 7 gorgeous scoops of gelato. Judit only tallied 2 crisp waffles cones with a sum of 4 scoops, but then again who is counting when you are far away on vacation and nobody recognizes you gobbling down frozen treats.

Corina Judit Grandma Gelateria BudapestChocolate Almond Gelato Dairy Free Gluten FreeSo of course when we got back from the trip we decided to make our own healthier version recipe and called it Chocolate Almond Gelato Dairy Free Gluten-Free. We used coconut sugar instead of refined sugar, almond milk instead of regular milk to make a Gluten-Free, Dairy Free, Guilt Free, Good Carb, semi Paleo ice cream treat. Gelato has no added air compared to ice cream and our version turned out more like a creamy gelato since we gently stirred and slow churned it, then served it at a slightly warmer temperature than ice cream usually is to get an almost chocolate mousse-like experience. Gelato is made with more eggs and milk and the lower churning creates this incredibly melt in your mouth addictive texture. Even though the gelato has a lower fat content, we did walk off our sins in the city since we overdid it a little bit. To really complement the chocolatey flavors we added roasted almonds on top and enjoyed our gelato outdoors in the garden. It was still delicious, even though we didn’t have the added benefit of walking on cobblestones up to a castle in Europe.

Judit Corina Gelato BudapestGelateria No7 BudapestOpa Corina GelatoWe found the most wonderful Gelateria in Budapest, right in the castle district and even took a few trips there specifically just for sheer gluttony. They had unique flavors like Ferrero Chocolate, Pistachio, Mon Cheri, Raffaello with Vanilla, Salted Peanut, Caramel, just to name a few. We have always had a weak spot for ice cream (especially Corina) and know where stellar ones are in Europe and in the U.S.. We took Judit’s parents (Corina’s grandparents) to the castle area and Judi’t mom loved the pistachio gelato. She managed to eat the entire two scoops, and she usually doesn’t like sweets. We were worried it would be too much, but she just smiled and enjoyed every bite.

Corina dress ice creamAs it happens we have a favorite ice cream shops around the world. If you ever want to know where the best gelato is just ask Corina.

Judit: Growing up in Budapest we had the most wonderful ice cream in summer, with so many unique flavors and I have the most fondest of memories of visiting the local “Cukraszda” sweet shops and picking out a delightful dessert to devour while watching people strolling around the city with ice cream in hand.

Corina: Ha the family doesn’t call me “Gelato Queen” for nothing, I can give you the tour of Europe via gelato! I know that by a certain bridge it is creamier, and on the alley to the church they give huge portions, and in the other neighborhood you get a free wafer cookie with it.

Coconut SugarAs you may have noticed we are more committed then ever to a healthy lifestyle and to eat less processed foods. It still does take some fiddling to replace refined sugar with coconut sugar or raw honey in a creamy or baked dessert because of the effect of these sweet replacements have on the texture. We know that some traditional dessert or a for say a perfect meringue needs caster sugar and that will be fine for a special occasion it’s alright to cheat a little and indulge your tastebuds.

Chocolate Almond Gelato IngredientsIn our Chocolate Almond Gelato Dairy Free Gluten-Free recipe version we wanted something with less guilt and quality ingredients. Oh yes and even chocolate can be healthy and good for you, since dark chocolate has flavonols, which is a type of antioxidant. We love toasted almonds and it is especially nice to know that almonds have essential nutrients like Vitamin B and Folic Acid, which improve skin, are a fat burning food, and are high in fiber. We chose coconut sugar since it is said to have a lower glycemic index than regular table sugar, which means it should not spike the insulin levels as much and since we are watching the sugar levels of Judit’s husband we have become very conscious of how food affects our body. Coconut sugar also has less fructose than some of the other natural sweetening options and a small amount of vitamins. In return, eating better gave us both a boost in our energy levels and to Judit’s delight a 12 pound weight loss already. Yipee 🙂

Chocolate Almond Gelato Recipe

Chocolate Almond Gelato Recipe

Chocolate Almond Gelato Dairy Free Gluten Free

Judit + Corina
Servings 4 -6

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups Almond Milk
  • 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
  • 1/2 cup Coconut Sugar - divided
  • 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa
  • 5 Eggs
  • Pinch of Sea Salt

Topping:

  • 1/4 cup Slivered Almonds - toasted

Instructions
 

  • In a medium sauce pan combine almond milk, coconut oil, half of the coconut sugar (about 1/4 cup) and the cocoa. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and with a wooden spoon stir gently until the coconut sugar and the cocoa is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • In a medium glass bowl whisk together the egg yolks, remainder of the coconut sugar and the pinch of salt until the egg yolk mixture is well combined.
  • Slowly whisk in about one cup of the hot milk mixture into the bowl with the egg yolk mixture. Then gradually whisk the egg yolk mixture into the sauce pan. Simmer over medium high heat for about 5 minutes by stirring constantly.
  • Pour the custard into a clean bowl and let it cool in an ice bath. Stir a few times. Refrigerate the cold mixture for at least 2 hours or you can even chill it over night.
  • Transfer the cold custard to your ice cream maker and proceed according the manufacturer instruction. Freeze the ice cream for at least 1 hour or overnight and remove 10 minute before serving.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Spread almond slivers over a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake almonds for about 5 minutes or until very light gold. Set aside to cool. Store in a airtight container.
  • Serve in small bowls and sprinkle with toasted slivered almonds.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Corina Summer Dress GelatoA creamy ice cream in summertime is an irresistible indulgence ( and now became our obsession) and we can’t think of a better way to complete a dinner in the garden then serve little bowls filled with this creamy Chocolate Almond Gelato Dairy Free Gluten-Free temptation to your friends and family for dessert. We love the crunchy toasted almonds on top for a more deep, rich nutty flavor, but please feel free to top it with your favorites!

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  1. I certainly wouldn’t believe this is dairy or gluten free, this gelato looks so creamy and smooth!
    A delicious recipe and beautiful photos 😀

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

  2. says: Harini

    Wow,gelato looks super rich and creamy despite the fact these are vegan,what a treat it must be on summer day,than you for the visit to my space,would be glad to see you over and over 🙂

    1. It was amazingly creamy even with almond milk and no dairy, especially if served not too cold as Gelato is best enjoyed a little warmer than ice cream. Have a lovely summer!

  3. says: Mary Anne

    I love that your gelato recipe looks so good and still is gluten free and dairy free and has chocolate! It sounds and looks just right on a hot summer day.

  4. says: Erik H.

    Cool trip! I can imagine that it’s difficult to turn down all those ice cream flavors. I don’t think I could eat it every day though, but your healthy gelato version sounds like it would be less evil to my stomach if I did.

    1. In Budapest there were not just the sweet shops to resist going into, there were also ice cream stands on the street corners beckoning you to try a tasty morsel and since it was record heat, a little ice cream was the perfect to cool down while walking in town. We tried to make the healthier version with good-for-you ingredients, hopefully less evil ones. 🙂

    1. Yes it was difficult resisting all those flavors ranging from mon cheri to caramel Nami! We thought to make a more GF (gluten-free and guilt-free) version and are happy your liked it! J+C

    1. Dear Elizabeth, we could have had more than three cones at once since they were so good, but thought that would just be gluttony! Glad you liked the healthy Gelato version! J+C

  5. Amazing photographs! I really enjoyed reading about your gelato experience in Europe. How fun! Anyway, I love this healthier version! It looks so creamy and delicious! All those almonds… yum! Also, I can’t believe that it’s made with almond milk!

    1. Budapest has some of the most divine Gelato, outside of Italy, and also many delightful pastries and layer cakes! It is very difficult to resist all the sweet shops and bakeries, which are called Cukrászdas.

  6. Ohhhhhh yummm!!!! 7 scoops of gelato!???? Yes, I’d gladly eat that too! ^_^ All your photos are just SOOOOOO BEAUTIFUL and do I need to even mention that this chocolate almond gelato is making me droooool!!!?? 🙂 All those lovely gelato photos from your trip are just absolutely tempting and delicious!!!!!!

    1. Yes Samina, the Gelato was just so divine one scoop was not enough! Good thing we did a lot of walking while there. We are so glad you enjoyed the photos from the trip and the gelato! Have a wonderful weekend and hopefully it includes a few scoops of tasty gelato! J+C

  7. says: Liz

    You’d never guess this creamy gelato was a healthified version! It looks terrific! We always need to get our gelato fixes when we’re in Europe 🙂

    1. Thank you Liz, we too can’t get enough of gelato in Europe! There are so many flavors to try, but we still love chocolate and it doesn’t last very long in the freezer. J+C

  8. says: Andrea

    What a unique ice cream dessert and stunning photos of the dish and the vacation. I would like a bowl right now, especially since the ingredients sound so good for you.

  9. says: Maggie

    You guys look great in the pictures! And the Gelato looks so delicious and I want some now!
    I have to wait for a few more months until moving to a bigger house, then I could finally buy a ice cream maker. Really looking forward to make ice cream at home 🙂

  10. says: Juliana

    Wow, this chocolate gelato looks fabulous…almond milk and coconut oil? I must give this a try. Awesome pictures!
    Hope you both are having a great week 😀

    1. You will love this simple treat Juliana! The almond milk does give an extra nutty flavor. This summer we are cooking and baking a lot with coconut oil and can’t believe that we did not discover this wonderful oil sooner 🙂
      J+C

  11. says: Cailee

    YUM! This looks amazing!! I love love LOVE you’re photography! It is so beautiful! …love the blog as well! So pretty, cute and ‘glamorous’! Glad that everything turned out alright in Europe! Looking forward to more of your posts!!

  12. So glad that the family emergency turned out fine, and gave you an opportunity to taste so many delicious sounding ice creams! I cannot go a day without gelato when we are in Europe and found the most interesting flavours while we were in Tropea (Southern Italy). This recipe sounds so delicious and worth a try 🙂

    1. Thank you so much Tandy! It is hard when something happens with an aging parent, but we are vey thankful because it did turned out fine and our 94 years old father/grandfather is doing miraculously well. Italy is the master among gelato and you right they have many unique flavors.
      Hope you are enjoying your summer.
      J+C

  13. says: Margot

    I just recently had almond milk and have to say it does have an interesting flavor so I can imagine it would be good in a chocoalte ice cream. Your photos of the ice cream look so good that I think it would taste just as good as it would with regular sugar and milk.

    1. Oh yes, the taste was absolutely delicious Margot! The refined sugar sometimes makes an ice cream a little to sweet for us, so we were delighted with the result. Hope you will try this simple recipe.
      Cheers,
      J+C

  14. What an awesome trip. Budapest is one place I’ve always wanted to go to. However i didn’t know they had awesome gelato. I better start your diet before I go. This gelato looks amazing. Thanks for sharing! And gorgeous photos. i truly enjoyed them!

    1. Thank you Abbe, and you will love Budapest! The city is full of history and beautiful architecture so do not worry about a diet just walk around and enjoy your gelato 🙂
      J+C

  15. I didn’t know there could be such thing as a dairy free and gluten free ice cream until I bumped into your post! That gelato look divine 🙂 Love the sound of all the ingredients you used 🙂 I just have to get some coconut oil!

  16. says: Andrew

    That is some serious ice cream consumption in great locations! So much better without the dairy and gluten. I haven’t tried coconut sugar before so will take a look if I can find it in the grocery store.

    1. Hi Andrew! We have a lot more photos to share from previous trips and will do soon. Hope that you can find coconut sugar in your grocery store, otherwise we found several good sources online.
      Cheers,
      J+C

    1. Hello Sue! Hungary was always known for great food and decadent desserts, but not many tour guide mentioned about the unique “Fagylaltozo” or Ice Cream shops which you can find through out in the city and in the country as well. Hope you will enjoy coconut sugar, it taste close to brown sugar with lower glycemic impact.
      J+C

  17. Really enjoyed this post, girls! I didn’t know that you’d grown up in Budapest, Judit! What a beautiful city Budapest is! I went there a few years ago and absolutely loved the castle area, although I don’t remember the gelato place so I think I’d better go back there again to put that right!
    Thanks so much for explaining the difference between gelato and ice cream – I had no idea there was a difference!
    I am very impressed that you’ve come up with this healthy version!

    1. So glad you enjoyed our gelato report Helen! Have to admit we are in love with our result too. Budapest is truly beautiful and one of the best cities along with Florence to stroll through history with a decadent gelato in hand. Let us know when you go back and we can point you to some really divine “Gelateria’s” or “Fagylaltozok”.
      J+C

  18. says: Casey

    Your gelato looks so good and so does your vacation! The almond milk sounds like a great idea for those with lactose intolerance or a gluten sensitivity. Since I am lactose intolerant this is the perfect gelato recipe for me! I can’t wait to try it and am waiting for a nice day to make it.

    1. So glad you like this gelato Gayle! It was very creamy and the almond milk was a good choice because it added and extra nutty flavor. Can’t wait to make it again…
      J+C

  19. says: marcie

    This gelato looks amazing, and I really want to try using coconut sugar. I’ve seen it around lately but have never tried it. I love that this is less guilt, and your trip to Italy sounded wonderful! When you’re there, you have to indulge, but back home it’s about getting back to normal. This gelato is the perfect thing! Pinning. 🙂

    1. Thank you so much for pinning Marcie! We totally changed our diet and now we mostly use only coconut sugar. It works well in most recipes and the flavor you could compare perhaps to brown sugar. For special desserts like something topped with Meringue or a white butter cream, we will still indulge in a little refined sugar. Let us know how you like it.
      J+C

  20. What great shots of the two of you!!! And, I am loving the look of this Chocolate Almond Gelato! Yum! And almonds are one of my favorite things ~ I absolutely love them ~ add them to chocolate and yes! I love the photo of all the yummy gelatos!!! So many to pick from! And, I love the tips on where to get the best ones (creamy by the bridge!!!) It’s inspiring!!

    1. Thank you Kristi! This summer we are also a little addicted to almonds, especially with chocolate, and it seems they do compliment each other deliciously. We ended up making this recipe twice for our post because it was so good that we kept testing for creaminess all the way to the bottom of the bowl before we could take the photos. Corina did eat her share of Gelato throughout Europe so she really would make a good tour guide 🙂
      J+C