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1
Combine the egg yolks, sucrose, and dextrose in a bowl. Whisk until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened — the sugar must be fully dissolved into the yolks before heat is applied.
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2
Heat the milk and cream together in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until steaming and on the point of simmering. Pour the hot liquid slowly over the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs without scrambling them.
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3
Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and cook over low-to-medium heat, stirring continuously with a spatula, until the custard reaches exactly 85°C on an instant-read thermometer. This is where the gelato lives or dies: below this temperature the custard is under-pasteurised and the proteins insufficiently set; above it the yolks scramble and the texture is destroyed. The custard is ready when it coats the back of the spatula and a finger drawn across it leaves a clean, stable line.
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4
Transfer the custard immediately to a clean bowl set over ice water. Stir until the temperature drops to below 10°C, then cover and refrigerate overnight. During this rest the flavours develop and the proteins fully hydrate — the base will be noticeably more cohesive in the morning.
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5
Churn the cold base in an ice-cream machine at the lowest aeration setting, targeting 25–30% overrun. Stop churning when the gelato is dense and holds its shape cleanly — it should look compact and silky, not fluffy or billowed. Excessive churning introduces too much air and produces a texture indistinguishable from commercial ice cream.
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6
Transfer to a covered metal container (a pozzetto if available) and harden in the freezer. Serve at -10 to -12°C — the gelato should be soft enough to scoop without waiting and pliable on the tongue. At -18°C both texture and flavour are lost.