WHAT IS GELATO?

Gelato vs. Ice Cream

What's the difference?

Gelato and ice cream are both delightful frozen desserts, but they have several differences in terms of ingredients, texture, flavor, and serving temperatures.

Ingredients:

• Gelato: Gelato is an Italian-style ice cream made with a higher proportion of milk to cream compared to traditional American ice cream. It contains less fat because it typically uses more milk and less heavy cream.
• Ice Cream: Ice cream, as it's traditionally made in the United States, contains more cream and more fat, giving it a rich and creamy texture.

Texture:

• Gelato: Gelato is churned at a slower speed than ice cream, resulting in less air being incorporated into the mixture. This slower churning creates a denser, smoother, and silkier texture.
• Ice Cream: Ice cream is churned at a higher speed, which introduces more air into the mixture, making it fluffier and lighter.

Flavor:

• Gelato: Gelato has a more intense, pure flavor because it has less fat to coat the taste buds. It tends to be served at a slightly higher temperature, which enhances the perception of its flavors.
• Ice Cream: Ice cream's higher fat content can sometimes make its flavors feel a bit less intense, but it has a luxurious and creamy taste.

Serving Temperature:

• Gelato: Gelato is typically served at a slightly higher temperature than ice cream, around 5-10°F (-15 to -12°C), which results in its softer, smoother texture.
• Ice Cream: Ice cream is served at a colder temperature, usually around -10 to -20°F (-23 to -29°C), making it firmer and scoopable.