Baci gelato with hazelnut and white chocolate slab

Place the cream, milk, vanilla pod and seeds and 150g sugar in a pan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Bring to just below boiling point, then remove from the heat.

Beat the yolks and remaining 150g sugar with electric beaters until pale. Slowly add the hot cream mixture, whisking well to combine. Pour into a clean pan and cook gently over low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and discard the vanilla pod. Stir in the Nutella until well combined.

Pour mixture into a shallow container. Freeze for 2 hours or until frozen at the edges. Remove and beat with electric beaters, then return to the container and refreeze. Repeat 2 or 3 times, then freeze for 4 hours or until fi rm. Alternatively, churn mixture in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions.

For the hazelnut slab, preheat the oven to 180°C. Spread the nuts on a baking tray, then toast for 6-8 minutes – watching carefully as they can burn. Tip onto a clean tea towel and rub to remove skins. Spread nuts on a baking paper-lined tray. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water), stir gently until melted, then pour over the nuts. Cool slightly, then chill for 30 minutes until set. Break into shards.

Scoop ice cream into bowls, dust with cocoa and serve with chocolate shards.