What is Gelato? What is Gelato? What is gelato? Maybe the real question is... if it looks this good, do you care? What is gelato? Maybe the real question is… if it looks this good, do you care? No matter the season or region, there’s one Italian food that never fails to please: gelato. But what exactly is this Italian answer to ice cream? Where did it come from? And what makes it so different (and delicious!)? First, frozen treats aren’t new. Even in the times of ancient Rome, Italians ate confections made of ice or snow. (One recipe given in the 4th-century cookbook Apicius includes setting cooked meats and vegetables into a meat jelly, cooling the whole concoction, and serving it sprinkled with snow. Maybe not such a crowd-pleaser today). Anything closer to what we know as modern gelato, though, seems to have been developed during the Renaissance. Florence’s Boboli Gardens still have an ice-house built by the Medici in 1612, and a 1595 banquet in the city featured sculptures made out of sorbet.

By the late 17th century, ice cream seems to have taken off. A recipe book even was printed in Naples, still one of the best places in Italy to try gelato, with a variety of delicious sorbet ideas, from ice cream thickened with candied pumpkin to gelato flavored with lemon blossom water. By the 19th century, we all screamed for ice cream — and in Italy, gelato (meaning “something frozen”) became the accepted word for the frozen treat. Gelato: Always a crowd-pleaser! So if gelato just means “frozen,” what is gelato today… and why does it taste so different from the ice cream elsewhere? First, traditional gelato has way less butterfat. About 4 to 8 percent of gelato is butterfat, compared to 14 percent for ice cream in the United States. That means gelato freezes less solidly than ice cream (and it’s actually served about 10 to 15 degrees warmer than ice cream), so it melts in your mouth faster. Second, gelato has a much higher density.

To make ice cream, producers mix cream, milk, sugar — and then add air, which increases volume, and water, which increases weight. But all that air and water makes for a much less-flavorful sweet. In Europe, meanwhile, regulations prevent you from that kind of process, called “overrun.” In Italy, you can’t legally increase an ice cream’s weight with water and volume with air. (That said, you can buy an industrial “mix,” add flavors, put it in stainless steel trays, and call it “artisanal”). Finally, most commercial ice creams elsewhere are made for long-term storage. (That’s why they’re more fully frozen and have a higher fat content). Gelato, though, is frozen quickly in small batches. That means it’s much fresher and higher-quality — and that truly artisanal gelato has to be eaten within a couple of days of being made. Gelato - Pitango Gelato Gelato When it comes to pistachios, there is... What is Gelato? Gelato simply means “frozen” in Italian. It is an all-inclusive term that loosely translates to ice cream but also includes anything from sorbet and yogurt to custards.

In the U.S., gelato cannot be called ice cream because by legal definition ice cream must contain a minimum of ten percent milkfat; premium ice cream brands can contain twice that amount of fat. In contrast, gelato is made with only five to eight percent milkfat, making it a healthier alternative. Gelato is churned differently than ice cream and contains less air. Despite its lower fat content, gelato boasts a creamy consistency and when done right is thick, dense and elastic. But what truly distinguishes gelato is its taste. Pitango Gelato has revived traditional Italian ice cream-making methods to create pure, simple products in a sustainable way. We go to extremes to source the best ingredients on the planet, including organic grass-fed milk, cream, free-range eggs, raw cane sugar, fresh fruit and nuts and premium chocolates. And we use authentic Italian recipes to craft unique products of unparalleled quality and taste. We avoid the temptation to take shortcuts when it comes to making gelato and sorbet. While a pre-packaged powder, mix or syrup may “taste just like the real thing,” our mission remains clear.

Instead of competing on price or efficiency, we are compelled to serve an alternative, healthful treat made with the best ingredients money can buy. Pitango’s gelato and sorbets are free of artificial ingredients, colorings, flavorings and chemicals, and we also limit fat and sugar content. Our loyal customers understand the difference in quality and price between imitators and the real thing, and we love to exceed their expectations. We serve our gelato from an Italian custom-made bancone that stores the gelato in individually sealed compartments. It provides a perfect temperature controls and eliminate flavor’s freezer burn. Cooled by energy retaining liquid, our bancone is also an energy-efficient solution, since it requires much less electricity than a standard display case. Each shop serves a rotating menu of flavors. While selections change daily we always include tried-and-true classics along with some of our own signature creations. BANANA Bananas are so ubiquitous that it’s easy to forget that they’re actually an exotic fruit. Although this flavor isn’t an Italian classic, Pitango’s rendition has developed a cult following.

100% Organic BACIO Bacio, Italian for “kiss,” is the name of a classic chocolate confection made with milk chocolate, hazelnuts and dark chocolate. Our version is made with Gianduja, chocolate chips and Piemontese hazelnuts. Nocciola Piemonte I.G.P. BLACK SESAME Inspired by this staple ingredient of Asian cuisine, we decided to go a bit exotic; toasted black sesame seeds impart this gelato with a rich, nutty flavor. BLACK TEA Ceylon black tea, with its crisp, citrus-like aroma, makes a gelato reminiscent of wonderful English-style sweet milk tea—only better. 100% Organic CAFFE ESPRESSO We brew our espresso in the store, one shot at a time, to craft this classic flavor. You’ll definitely taste the difference. FAIR TRADE. 100% Organic CARDAMOM Cardamom, a staple in Eastern cuisines, does amazing things when combined with our organic grass-fed milk. Starting with whole seeds, we blend the spice into the gelato to create an exotic and aromatic sensation.

100% Organic CHOCOLATE WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS Made with organic Venezuelan chocolate and couverture chocolate from Costa Rica, this flavor is the perfect elixir for serious chocoholics. Combines well with Crema or Vanilla. 100% Organic CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT (GIANDUJA) A classic from the Piedmont region of Italy, Gianduja is pronounced “Jan-doo-yah.” But not matter how you say it, this blend of imported Piemontese hazelnuts and fine organic chocolate is completely irresistible. Nocciola Piemonte I.G.P. CINNAMON We use a touch of cinnamon from Sumatra with our Fior di Latte gelato to create the ultimate comfort flavor. 100% Organic COCONUT CHOCOLATE CHIP Enjoy a taste of the tropics with our smooth and delicate Coconut gelato. It is made from organic Thai coconut milk, which is lower in fat and cholesterol than coconut cream, and laced with chips of bittersweet 70% Costa Rican chocolate. 100% organic CREMA Crema is Italian Custard, a simple and elegant choice that’s both delicate and satisfying.

Crema pairs well with robust or tart flavors. 100% Organic CRÈME FRAîCHE Most Americans associate this cultured cream flavor with the taste and texture of a slightly tart cheesecake. Crème Fraîche makes for a wholesome and refreshing snack and, despite its name, it is relatively low in fat (about 4%). 100% Organic FIOR DI LATTE “Flower of Milk” in Italian, this organic milk-and-cream gelato is pure and simple—but there’s nothing plain about it. Pairs remarkably well with any chocolate or nut flavors. 100% Organic HAZELNUT (Nocciola) In Italy, Nocciola is the number-three gelato flavor after chocolate and Crema. You’ll see why when you taste this silky treat bursting with the flavor of hazelnuts imported from Italy’s Piedmont region. Nocciola Piemonte I.G.P. MATHCHA GREEN TEA Have a moment of Zen with this gelato made with Japanese Matcha Green Tea. The flavor is intense and fruity with no bitter aftertaste.

100% Organic MILK & HONEY This delicate flavor blends all-natural, unfiltered wildflower honey from our beekeeper in Lancaster, PA, with grass-fed, organic milk. It’s pure, unadulterated bliss. 100% Organic PISTACHIO When it comes to pistachios, there is one undisputed kind: Pistachio di Bronte. This tough little nut grown in Sicily in the foothills of the active Mount Etna volcano yields fruit only once in two years. We decided to fly it in because there is nothing that comes close to its incredible flavor. Slow Food SICILIAN ALMOND In Italy, almonds symbolize good fortune, love and fidelity. We import ours from Sicily, where they have been cultivated for centuries; the local variety is praised for its strong, sweet flavor. Guaranteed to bring good karma. VANILLA We use premium vanilla beans from Papua New Guinea and a very light custard to create this velvet-touch flavor that’s anything but plain.

Fair Trade 100% Organic VANILLA CHOCOLATE CHIP (STRACCIATELLA) An Italian classic, this blend of Fior di Latte and Costa Rican chocolate chips is a popular favorite among connoisseurs of all ages. 100% Organic WALNUT (NOCE) We source walnuts from the Italian region of Umbria because we can’t resist their exceptionally nutty flavor and distinct floral note. These nuts are what turns our walnut gelato from ordinary to sublime. 100% Organic FOLLOW US Twenty favourite Italian gelato flavours | PocketCultures Twenty favourite Italian gelato flavours Home > Food > Twenty favourite Italian gelato flavours Share: Lucy August 11, 2010 9 comments blogsherpa , Europe , gelato , ice cream , Italy , summer On summer evenings, the Italian gelateria (ice cream shop) is the busiest part of town. The shop teems with people inspecting the mounds of gelato on display, choosing their favourites, deciding which two or three to sample tonight (that’s right, you can get THREE flavours in one cone!). Outside, the pavement is blocked with locals congregated to eat their ice cream, or just to hang out.

You might run into a relative or a friend here and stop for a chat. Whatever else you’re doing, treating yourself to an ice cream is an important part of the evening. So you can experience a bit of the magic, here are twenty of the most common ice cream flavours (gusti). Which would you choose? 1. Panna (cream): also known as Fior di Latte, this plain ice-cream is a hit with adults and children alike 2. Cioccolato: good old chocolate. Sometimes this comes in two versions, cioccolato and cioccolato fondente (extra dark chocolate) 3. Limone: fresh, tangy lemon flavour is perfect for hot summer days (and nights) 4. Pistacchio: another favourite, look out for the home-made version with real nuts 5. Zuppa Inglese: the title translates literally as ‘English soup’ but the flavour is more like custard. It gets its name from an Italian dessert which is thought to be inspired by English trifle 6. Bacio: the name means kiss, and bacio is a mixture of hazlenut and chocolate…yum! 7.

Frutti di bosco (fruits of the forest): a mixture of strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, raspberries 8. Caffè: for lovers of espresso and cappuccino here is the dessert version 9. Pesca: fruity peach flavour tastes just like the real thing 10. Crema: Italian crema is a pale yellow colour and more like custard than cream. This is the frozen version 11. Fragola: Quite different from the pale pink, creamy versions of strawberry. This one has the deep pink colour of crushed strawberries 12. Cocco: White, creamy and very coconutty 13. Stracciatella: chocolate chip 14. Banana: Italians divide ice cream flavours into two groups: creme (creamy flavours) and frutte (fruit flavours). Banana lies somewhere between the two – fruity and creamy at the same time 15. Amarena: Plain ice cream with swirls of cherry sauce 16. Menta: bright green colour, fresh minty taste 17. Melone: Another super-fruity flavour. Like eating a fresh, sweet melon straight out of the fridge 18.

Ricotta stregata: literally ‘bewitched ricotta’ (a type of cheese). Ricotta stregata is softer than normal gelato, because it actually contains ricotta. Definitely one to try if you fancy something different 19. Liquirizia: I’ve never tried liquorice flavour. I’m curious, but there’s always so much else to choose 20. Nocciola: Hazlenut – my favourite! Is ice cream popular where you live? What’s your favourite flavour? Read more: WhyGelato.com | Ingredients Ingredients Home > Gelato 101 > Ingredients Did you know that all the ingredients you need to make gelato are probably already in your own kitchen? Gelato is made with ingredients that are all found in nature making it both a healthy and natural dessert. To better understand what makes the delicious, creamy Italian ice cream, here’s a list of the ingredients that it’s made from: Milk Depending on whether you want to make a cream flavor (such as chocolate or vanilla) or a fruit flavor (such as strawberry or mango), you need either water or milk.

The best type of milk for the cream flavors of gelato is whole milk (3.5%), but some gelato makers use reduced-fat milk (1% or 2%), fat-free milk (skim) or even soy milk! The milk helps the gelato obtain a creamy and smooth texture, but it also increases its resistance to melting so you can take your time to enjoy it on a hot day. Milk used in gelato is a great way to not only add protein to your diet, but to get an extra serving of calcium. Water If you want to make a fruit flavor of gelato (also known as sorbetto), gelato makers use water. While tap water will work just fine, the quality and consistency of tap water can vary from place to place so the best sorbetto is made with filtered water. Try drinking a glass of tap water and a glass of filtered water (or bottled water) and see if you can taste a difference. If you can, that means your sorbetto will taste differently as well, depending on which one you use! Because water freezes, this ingredient helps the sorbet to keep its frozen quality. Water also helps to hydrate and disperse the other ingredients.

Sugar Is anything sweeter than our next ingredient? Gelato makers add sugar to bring sweetness to the mix, but also to help decrease the freezing point and increase the viscosity. We learned that the water in gelato will freeze, but adding sugar to the mix will allow it to maintain a soft but not melted texture. There are many different types of sugar that can be used, each bringing a different level of sweetness. Some of the types include: sucrose (cane sugar), dextrose, lactose (natural sugar from milk), fructose (natural sugar from fruit), and invert sugars (glucose, honey and corn syrup). Invert sugars can be used similar to sweeteners, but are completely natural. The only thing sweeter than regular sugar? Invert sugar! Keep in mind it doesn’t take as much invert sugar as regular sugar to sweeten a mix. In some cases, sugar is substituted in gelato to appeal to an audience with special dietetic needs. Splenda® Brand Sweetener is one of those substitutes, and creates an equally dynamic gelato product.

Gelato makers are truly committed to being able to supply their customers with options that can fit into any diet, and as the industry continues to grow, researching new substitutes for sugar is a focus. MSNF Another ingredient that is used to make gelato is milk-solids-non-fat (MSNF), which consists of protein, lactose and minerals found in dairy products. A gelato maker can add skim milk powder, milk or cream to the product for the benefits of MSNF. This is another ingredient that increases the percentage of proteins and improved the texture of the gelato at the same time. Too little MSNF might make the gelato icy, while too much could make the texture grainy. Just the right amount of MSNF makes the gelato delicious! Stabilizers and Emulsifiers To keep that gelato in a perfect swirl on top of your cone, gelato makers often add food additives, in the forms of stabilizers and emulsifiers. These food additives preserve flavor and improve taste and appearance. Stabilizers act as thickening agents to give gelato a firmer texture. Emulsifiers allow water and oils to remain mixed together so the gelato mix is consistent from the first scoop to the last.

Both of these additives come from natural substances and are used in very small amounts. When making gelato, it’s important to check all your ingredients because some semi-finished gelato bases already contain these ingredients. Flavor What’s your favorite gelato flavor? It would be hard to argue with the common assumption that flavor is one of the most important characteristics of gelato. Two important things to remember when talking about flavor are type and intensity. Flavors can come in the form of pastes or powders and from low to high intensity. But above all, the best type is a high-quality flavor that will be consistent. This means that every time you pick your favorite flavor, it will taste exactly like you remember it! Fruit Fruit is a great addition to any fruit-flavored gelato (known as sorbetto). Fruit can be added as fresh, frozen, juice or fruit puree. The natural acidity in the fruit helps to characterize the flavor and the natural sugar sweetens the mix. While fresh fruit makes for a really intense gelato, frozen or fruit puree is a great way to enjoy your favorite fruit out of season.

So when you’re craving the taste of watermelon in January, stop by your local gelato store for some “remind-you-of-summer” sorbetto! Air Not to be overlooked, air is an important ingredient too! As gelato is being frozen, the liquid mix is whipped with air to increase the volume of the product and smooth out the texture. “Overrun” is the term typically used for the amount of air whipped into the product. Because milk-based gelato is denser than water-based sorbetto, it has more overrun. It’s important to remember that the air used to make gelato should be from a clean environment so there’s no affect on the taste of your gelato. Italian Gelato Flavors Decoded – Italy Travel Guide in Food & Drink tagged Food & Drink / food-guide / gelato by Jessica One of my favorite things about visiting Italy, without a doubt, is the gelato. I like ice cream in all its forms, but the Italians have done something magical with their version. I routinely encourage people traveling to Italy to eat at least two scoops of gelato every day, but I should caution you that once you try Italian gelato you may not be satisfied with regular ice cream ever again.

Gelato shops in Italy are called “gelaterie” (gelateria is the singular), and they’re colorful affairs – the glass cases are often full of tubs of gelato overflowing and calling to you. You’ll be able to identify many of the flavors by the pictures some shops include on the flavor cards, but others may be a complete mystery. If you want to learn a little bit more about what potential gelato flavor oddities you could run into during your trip, here’s my list of Italian gelato flavors – decoded. (Also be sure to read my tips for getting good gelato in Italy and learn how to order gelato , too!) >> Travel tip: If you don’t think you’ll be able to memorize all of these flavors or pronunciations, you can print this page and take it with you ! The Chocolates “Cioccolato” (cho-koh-LAH-toh) is basic chocolate, but the variations on this theme are nearly endless. It’s all the rage to pair chocolate with other complimentary flavors, like hot pepper or orange, and there are also different kinds of chocolate even when it’s all by itself.

Here are a few to look for: cioccolato fondente (cho-koh-LAH-toh fawn-DEN-teh) – Dark chocolate lovers, this is the label to look for. And if you see cioccolato fondente extra noir, I think you’ll understand that we’re talking about the darkest of the dark chocolates here. Dark chocolate haters (what’s wrong with you?!?), look for cioccolato al latte (cho-koh-LAH-toh ahl LAH-tay), or milk chocolate. bacio (BAH-cho) – Named for the famous chocolate candies that come from Perugia, this is a chocolate hazelnut combination not unlike Nutella (which is another common gelato flavor), often with bits of hazelnuts in the mix. gianduja or gianduia (jahn-DOO-yah) – Either way it’s spelled, it means the same thing – a creamy combination of milk chocolate and hazelnut. This flavor comes primarily from the Piedmont region, but it can be found throughout Italy.

cioccolato all’arancia (cho-koh-LAH-toh ahl-ah-RAHN-cha) – This is chocolate orange, and is a personal favorite. It’s most often a dark chocolate, not a milk chocolate, and may have either just an orange flavor or may also include candied bits of orange peel. cioccolato con peperoncini (cho-koh-LAH-toh kohn pep-pehr-ohn-CHEE-nee) – Another trendy chocolate addition, besides orange, is pepper – and this is often how you’ll see it on the flavor placards. It’s basically a hot pepper infused chocolate (usually dark chocolate), and can vary in terms of heat. A friend also reports having seen cioccolato all’azteca (cho-koh-LAH-toh ahl-az-TEH-kah), which had both cinnamon and hot pepper. The Nuts Nuts are a popular ingredient in many of the chocolate and cream flavors, but they’re also stand-alone flavors as well.

DOWNLOAD OUR TRAVEL GUIDES DOWNLOAD NOW pistacchio (pee-STAHK-yoh) – I’m not going to define this one, because if you read English you’ll know what it is. The important thing here it to learn that the “ch” in the middle of this word has a “k” sound (not an “sh” sound). Also good to know – it’s a very popular flavor. mandorla (mahn-DOOR-lah) – Almond nocciola (noh-CHO-lah) – This is hazelnut all by itself (not combined with chocolate, as listed above). castagna (kahs-TAHN-yah) – This is chestnut, and isn’t nearly as common as some of the other nut flavors. It could be a seasonal specialty, I’m not sure. The Creams Here’s a flavor tip – if your first flavor choice is something particularly strong or difficult to match with something else, getting a cream flavor for a second scoop is a good option because it generally won’t fight with the first flavor, but will add a muted backdrop.

fior di latte (FYOR dee LAH-tay) – Perhaps the base flavor for all cream (or even chocolate) flavors, this is literally “flower of milk” and it’s a wonderfully subtle sweet cream flavor. Some people I know think it’s boring, but I adore it. crema (KREH-mah) – This is a kind of egg custard flavor, and shouldn’t be confused with vanilla. zabaione (zah-bah-YOH-nay) – This is based on a dessert of the same name, made from (among other things) egg yolks and sweet Marsala wine. So it’s an eggy and custardy flavor, with an overtone of Marsala. cocco (KOH-koh) – Coconut caffè (kah-FAY) – Just in case you aren’t getting enough coffee flavor in your daily morning espresso , here’s the gelato version. amarena (ah-mah-RAY-nah) – Though it has fruit in it, it’s a cream base, so I’m sticking it in this category. This is another personal favorite – it’s basically fior di latte with a sauce of sour cherries kind of mixed in.

The cherries have been stewed in something, and I have no idea what it is, but they’re chewy and delicious, and you’re likely to get at least one whole cherry (without the pit, of course) in your scoop. The Fruits Technically, these aren’t really considered gelati – instead, they’re sorbetti (sorbetto in the singular) because they’re made without milk. The fruit flavors are some of my favorites – they’re so intense, you’ll be amazed at how like the real thing they taste.

fragola (FRAH-go-lah) – Strawberry (and here’s the easiest strawberry gelato recipe ever!) lampone (lahm-POH-nay) – Raspberry (oh-so good with a dark chocolate flavor) limone (lee-MOH-nay) – Lemon (lime is really rare, but it’s lime, or LEE-may) mandarino (mahn-dah-REE-noh) – Mandarin orange melone (meh-LOH-nay) – Melon (usually cantaloupe) albicocca (al-bee-KOH-kah) – Apricot Gelato, italian ice cream, italian gelato Gelato, italian ice cream, italian gelato Food Details Gelato - Photo: It's official – gelato is good for you! There is no doubt that gelato is much better for you than ice cream. In fact, so little milk is consumed in most parts of Italy, particularly the south, that they really do consider gelato to be good for you. Many people consider that gelato is just the Italian word for ice cream but this is not so, there is a significant difference between the two, particularly compared to the world famous, creamy, American version.

The word gelato in Italian is a shortened version of the word 'congelato' which literally means 'frozen'. In simple terms, here are the differences between ice cream and gelato: Fat content Ice cream is made with cream, some whole milk and quite often egg yolks and has a minimum (legal requirement) of 10% fat. The fat content is usually much higher, particularly with ice creams made at home. Gelato uses whole milk, less or no cream, egg yolks are rarely used and it usually has a fat content of between 5% and 7%. Air and churning Ice cream is churned fast and hard in order to whip in plenty of air which is called overrun, or in other words, the percentage of volume which has been added to the original mixture. This is simple to do with ice cream as the high fat content of the cream makes it easy to whip. The better, more expensive ice creams have an overrun of around 25% whereas the cheaper, commercial ones generally have an overrun of 50% or more and really cheap ice cream can have up to 90%.

Gelato is not able to be whipped in this manner due to the lower fat, higher milk content and is therefore churned at a slower, gentler rate so very little air is pumped into it. This means that gelato is denser, less creamy and has a softer, elastic texture than ice cream. Temperature Ice cream is kept and served at around -12°C (10°F) and begins to melt as soon as it gets warmer than this. Gelato, with less fat and less air is able to be served at the higher temperature of -6° to -3°C (20° to 25°F). On the whole, gelato tastes less rich and creamy than ice cream but it is noted for being much fresher and tastier. This actually isn't true, ice cream has just as much flavour but the amount of fat in it coats your tongue which deadens the taste buds. Gelato is softer and smoother than ice cream and with less air the taste is more condensed and a little stronger. It is said that a good gelato is meant to fill your mouth with a burst of flavour and then melt gently away. In Italy you buy your gelato (pl.

gelati) from a gelateria (pl. gelaterie) and they can be found wherever you go. Most will be good but some will be better than others and some will be exceptional. Here are a few tips on how to spot a good gelato: The gelateria should make the gelato on site in small batches. The products used should be fresh, natural and seasonal. The colours should be subdued, for example, banana should be the colour of the banana flesh and not the colour of the skin, pistachio should be a pale, creamy green and not a vivid green and peach should be peachy, not orange. A really good gelateria will more than likely display a list of the ingredients used and cater for people with diabetes and allergies. Gelato should not be served with an ice cream scoop. It is traditionally served with a spatula (spatola) and there should be one for each flavour on display. This stops cross contamination of flavours and also means that the spatulas do not need to be washed after each serving and run the risk of adding drops of water to the gelato.

The gelato is usually displayed in a colourful and elaborate way, first having been artistically shaped with a special spatula and then decorated with fresh fruit, nuts and chocolate etc. Gelato is served in cups, usually two sizes, or cones and it is normal practice to have two or three flavours. You can, of course, just have one scoop of one flavour, two or three scoops of the same flavour or as many scoops of as many flavours as you like! In most gelaterie it is common place to pay for your gelato at the cash desk first and it is here that you will have to decide whether you want one, two or three scoops. You then go to the counter with your ticket and decide if you want your gelato in a cup (coppa) or a cone (cono) and then you choose your flavours. If you have your gelato in a cup there will be colourful plastic spoons on the counter for you to help yourself to. It is our advice to also take one of these if you have gelato in a cone and to initially start eating it with the spoon.

If you lick your cone on a hot summer's day it will soon begin to melt but using the spoon allows it to stay cool longer. In Sicily, and some parts of the far south of Italy, they also serve gelato in a brioche type bun. The history of eating something cold and sweet began many centuries ago with ancient civilizations in Asia and Eygypt eating crushed ice with fruit flavourings as far back as 3000 B.C. The Romans began this custom about a few thousand years later by collecting ice from Mount Etna and Mount Vesuvius and sweetening it with honey. Not much changed until sometime in the mid-15th century when the early skill of making gelato began in Italy. In Florence, the Medici family, in a quest to find the greatest frozen dessert set up a competition that was open to all residents. Ruggeri, a local chicken farmer and aspiring cook made something similar to sorbet with ice and fruit juices. It then became common practice for snow to be compacted and stored underground in order for it to be flavoured with fruit and sold in the summer months to those who could afford it.

In the latter part of the 15th century, the Medici family commissioned Bernardo Buontalenti, a famous artist and architect, to prepare a feast for the impending visit of the King of Spain. Using all his artistic and culinary skills he presented the King with a creamy, frozen dessert which was the first gelato. Although Bernardo Buontalenti is credited with inventing gelato it was Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli, a restaurant owner from Sicily, who made it famous throughout Europe. Francesco moved from Palermo to Paris where he opened a café called where he refined the making of gelato and started making new flavours and serving it in different ways. The café, The Procope, became hugely successful and the popularity of gelato spread throughout France and into other parts of Europe. Gelato finally arrived in America in 1770 when Giovanni Basiolo brought it to New York City. Essential terms: What's the Difference Between Gelato and Ice Cream? | Serious Eats What's the Difference Between Gelato and Ice Cream?

36 [Photographs: Robyn Lee, unless otherwise noted] After "what's your favorite ice cream?", the question I get asked the most as an ice cream maker is "what makes gelato different from ice cream?" How does gelato get that soft, elastic texture and slow-to-melt milkiness compared to ice cream's richer, creamier body? It comes down to three factors: fat, air, and serving temperature. The more complicated answer? Things aren't always clear cut: this is food, not phylogeny, so individual recipes can blur the lines between the two. But there are some basic differences to keep in mind. How Ice Cream Works [Photograph: Vicky Wasik] All ice cream is mostly water, and as water freezes, it forms hard, crunchy ice crystals. Besides great flavor, the ultimate goal of ice cream making is to keep those crystals as small as possible through added ingredients and technique. Here's how ice cream makers fight crystallization: Emulsifying fat into a base (or using already emulsified ingredients, like cream and milk) sticks fat molecules in between water molecules, literally getting in the way of ice as it freezes. Sugar also forms a physical barrier to crystallization, just like fat.

When dissolved in water, it forms a syrup with a lower freezing point than plain water, and the sweeter a syrup is (i.e. the higher the concentration of sugar), the lower the freezing point becomes. As water starts to freeze in a syrup, the unfrozen water becomes, in effect, a more concentrated syrup. This process continues until you have a bunch of small ice crystals in a sea of syrup so concentrated that it'll never really freeze. Air is incorporated into ice cream during the churning process. Just like a light, fluffy angel food cake is easier to cut into than a dense fruit cake, a more aerated ice cream is easier to scoop, and has a fluffier, less dense texture. The temperature ice cream is stored at also has an obvious effect: colder ice creams are harder and more solid, while warmer ones are softer, with a looser texture. There are some other tricks to keep ice cream soft, such as alcohol, starch, protein (in egg and milk), and natural stabilizers like guar gum and carageenan, but the top four above are the big factors at play. Ice Cream vs. Gelato Coffee ice cream at Ample Hills Creamery, NYC.

Rich and creamy, but with noticeable fluff and body compared to gelato. Compared to today's American-style ice cream (that's one made with egg yolks, as is basically the new standard in home recipes and commercial products), gelato has less fat in the base and less air churned into it during the freezing process. American ice creams are heavy on the cream, and have a fat content, by American labeling law, of at least 10% (considerably higher in most homemade and many premium versions). Gelato, by comparison, uses more milk than cream, so it doesn't have nearly as much fat. Additionally, it usually—but not always—uses fewer (to the point of none) egg yolks, another source of fat in custard-based ice creams. American-style ice creams are churned fast and hard to whip in plenty of air (called overrun), which is aided by the high proportion of cream in the base.

The most high-end ice creams have an overrun of 25% or so, which means they've increased in volume by 25%; cheaper commercial versions can run from 50% to over 90%, which gives them a light, thin, fast-melting texture that isn't very flavorful (those bites are a quarter to a half air!). Gelato is churned at a much slower speed, which introduces less air into the base—think whipping cream by hand instead of with a stand mixer. That's why it tastes more dense than ice cream—it is. And what about sugar? Well, sugar levels vary wildly in ice cream and gelato recipes, so there's less of a hard difference there. If you make ice cream at home, you may be wondering about your ice cream machine: does it churn at ice cream speed or gelato speed? The truth is, most of the consumer models on the market churn at about the same speed, none of which are as fast as the commercial machines used to make American-style ice cream. But you can make both ice cream and gelato in your machine—remember, air is only one of the differences between them. Soft, dense gelato at L'arte del Gelato, NYC.

All these differences give gelato a more dense and milky texture that's less creamy than ice cream. It's not thin, but it lacks the plush, buttery fullness of its American cousin. Some say that gelato has a more intense flavor than ice cream, since it has less of the tongue-coating cold fat that gets in the way of tasting things. But I think it's more accurate to say that gelato's flavors come through direct, hard, and fast, then melt away clean. A good, flavorful ice cream can have just as intense a flavor, but you'll taste it differently. One isn't necessarily more flavorful than the other. Temperature's the Key So if gelato has less fat than ice cream, and less air pumped into it, why is it not as hard as a brick? How does it get that super-soft, almost elastic texture that looks like a swirl of frosting more than a scoop of ice cream? It's the last big factor: temperature. Ice cream is best served at around 10°F; gelato cases are set to a warmer temperature. If you freeze gelato really cold, it'll turn right into the dense, relatively-low-fat brick it has the potential to be.

But when warm, it's that perfect soft-but-not-soupy consistency. If you stored ice cream at a much warmer temperature, it'd get too soupy: the high fat in water emulsion would melt too fast. A Scoop by Any Other Name The real ice cream question: 1 scoop, 2, or 20? [Photograph: Vicky Wasik] I've been following the common naming convention in this post, calling American-style ice cream "ice cream" and Italian-style "gelato." But here's the thing: gelato's just the Italian word for ice cream. Though it does stick to the tendencies I've pointed out above, individual recipes do vary. Some call for cornstarch, others for egg yolks; some use higher amounts of sugar and others use less. But it's all ice cream, just how soft serve is just warmer, freshly churned ice cream, and frozen yogurt is just soft serve made with yogurt as the dairy base. Sure, we can quibble over names and definitions, but at the end of the day, it's all one happy frozen, creamy family. We can argue about differences, or we can sit down and dig in to a pint together?

I know which I'd rather do. More Is Gelato More Flavorful Than Ice Cream? By Danilo Alfaro Updated October 30, 2016. Gelato is the Italian version of ice cream and it differs from American ice cream in a few basic ways: its denseness, its sugar content, and its temperature. First, and primarily, gelato is much denser than American ice cream. It's denser for two reasons: One, it contains significantly less butterfat than ordinary ice cream. Whereas ice cream might be 15 percent butterfat or more, gelato typically contains more like four to eight percent butterfat. And two, gelato is churned more slowly and has less air whipped into it than ice cream, thus producing a denser product. Gelato differs from ice cream in another respect, which has to do with how much sugar it contains, with gelato having perhaps 10 percent higher sugar content. Other than that, gelato and ice cream share the basic attributes of being made from frozen milk, cream, and other ingredients, sometimes including egg yolks. But because gelato is more dense, its flavors can be more intense than ordinary ice cream.

continue reading below our video How to Juice Citrus Finally, gelato is generally stored and served at warmer temperatures than ice cream. Whereas ice cream can be stored in a deep-freeze of -20°F or colder, gelato is usually stored at 0° to 10°F, and served at 10° to 20°F. Gelato's lower fat content and denser consistency would make it too hard to eat at colder temperatures. Here's an ice cream maker that has a setting for gelato, to ensure it's mixed to the proper consistency. Why Is Gelato So Much More Flavorful Than Ice Cream? So, a couple of things are happening here. One, the lower temperature means you taste the flavors more intensely. This is due in part to the fact that a numb tongue is less sensitive. But also, there are receptors in our taste buds that are more sensitive when the temperature of the food is increased. This is particularly true of sweet flavors. If you've ever noticed that melted ice cream tastes sweeter then when it's still frozen, that's what's happening.

Another factor is that the flavor compounds that produce aromas (which in turn affect the way we experience flavor) are more volatile at warmer temperatures, so when a food is colder, its flavor will be correspondingly less intense. Take tomatoes , for example. Tomatoes are known to be less flavorful when they're chilled. That's because the enzymes that produce its flavors and aromas are basically switched off when it's chilled. Somewhere, somebody is undoubtedly making a tomato gelato , and I can guarantee that the tomato flavor will be more intense the warmer it's served. Finally, ice cream is made with cream, which has a higher fat content than milk, and fat tends to coat the tongue which literally forms a barrier between your taste buds and the food. Because gelato is made with milk, there's less fat present, so you taste the flavors more intensely.

Question: What type of foodstuff is gelato?
Answer: Ice cream