About Gelato

In Italy, Gelato is commonly served in “gelaterias” and is available in many more flavors as compared to ice cream.

The origin of gelato dates back to the 14th century when early precursors were first made in and around Italy during the Italian Renaissance. In the 1700’s Gelato came to North America where it branched off into the American Ice Cream that we have today. Back in Europe gelato continued to undergo its own culinary evolution into the frozen desert that it is today. While similar to American ice cream, gelato is distinctly different in key factors that give it the uniquely rich texture that can make it feel more like an indulgent pudding than a frozen treat.

In addition to having a richer texture than ice cream gelato has less fat than ice cream, is creamier and more flavorful than ice cream, and is present in more flavors than ice cream

What is the difference between gelato and ice cream?

The difference between gelato and ice cream has to do with the ingredients and preparation of each.

Ice cream is a custard made of a mixture of egg yolks and cream (thus why it is called ice cream). This mix is then mixed while being cooled to freezing temperatures. And wahla, we have ice cream. An airy, frozen treat.

Gelato, similar to ice cream, is also mixed while being cooled to produce a treat similar to ice cream. The key difference is that gelato does not contain eggs and therefore is not a custard. Gelato also contains less cream, being made of a higher proportion of milk instead. It also undergoes a different mixing process that results in a denser, creamier treat. And since it contains less cream, it also contains less fat than ice cream. 

Although ice cream might consist of 10 to 15% milkfat (or even more), gelato usually consists of 0 to 8% total fat. 

This lower fat content also means that it requires less added sugar to make alter the flavor and make it sweeter. As a result, gelato tends to be lower in sugar, fat, as well as calories.

Does Gelato taste Better?

In most cases, there’s simply no accounting for taste. But when it comes to gelato, a compelling case can be made for why gelato actually tastes better than ice cream

First, ice cream is mixed with more air than gelato. This produces a lighter, fluffier texture compared to gelato. However, air doesn’t really have any flavor. As a result ice cream doesn’t taste as rich as gelato. 

Also, ice cream is served at a colder temperature than gelato. This results in taste buds being more numbed than with gelato, further deadening the taste of ice cream.

And finally, as mentioned early, ice cream contains more fat. This fat coats the tongue further reducing the taste of ice cream.

As a result, gelato has a richer, deeper, more complex flavor than ice cream.