How to tell Gelato and Ice cream apart - Not everyone knows
Surely, if anyone has ever fallen "in Love" with ice cream, they have probably heard the name Gelato - a dreamy "sibling" from Italy.
Known as one of the specialities that simply must be tasted when visiting Italy – what makes Gelato (Italian ice cream) so distinctive compared with ordinary ice cream?
Gelato – ice cream’s “late-born child”?
People often refer to Gelato as a variation on the usual ice cream recipe, a late-born child of this delicious and refreshing dessert. In reality, it is difficult to determine which came first, Gelato or ice cream , and we are entitled to believe that Gelato emerged alongside the development of ice cream. The distinctive characteristics of the land in general, and Italian culinary culture in particular, created the differences that define Gelato and turned it into a special version of ice cream, almost an entirely new dessert recipe.
In 1718, the modern ice cream recipe was first mentioned in Mrs. Mary Eales's Receipts, published in London, with whipping and freezing techniques quite similar to today’s ice cream recipe. Likewise, in Italy, as early as 1680, batches of Gelato began to appear, thanks to the completion of the first ice cream machine by a fisherman named Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli.
Although based on the basic techniques used for ice cream in general, Gelato quickly established its own distinctive flavour and position in the dessert world, moving beyond the image of an “Italian-style ice cream recipe” to become recognised as a distinct sweet treat. On the menus of restaurants and bakeries, you will always find the name Gelato listed separately from Ice cream – ordinary ice cream varieties.
Three keys to distinguishing Gelato from ice cream
Gelato has a characteristic sweetness and soft, smooth texture. You can immediately feel Gelato’s softness, as light and delicate as a cloud, which is entirely different from the dense and firm texture of ordinary ice cream: When placed in the mouth, Gelato melts instantly like frozen curd, which is why this dessert is often described as soft ice cream or milk ice cream. However, to truly distinguish Gelato from ice cream and understand the very different recipes used for these two desserts, we need to note the following three points:
Fat content
The most popular type of ice cream we eat today is American-style ice cream, whose essential ingredients include egg whites and cream (the layer of fat that rises to the surface of milk). By contrast, the main ingredient in Gelato is not cream but whole milk, or even skimmed milk from which all the milk fat has been removed. While ice cream made to standard must contain at least 10% fat, in Gelato, this figure falls to 5-7%. Ice cream appeals to the palate with its rich dairy creaminess, while Gelato charms us with its light and delicate character.
Churning technique
The technique shared by both ice cream and Gelato is to churn/whip the main ingredients, such as milk, cream, egg whites, sugar and additives… in a circular motion until they thicken. This technique creates “air pockets” inside the mixture, which act like “bricks”, helping to bind all the liquid and separate components together and create attractive, firm round scoops of ice cream. The more air the ice cream contains, the denser and fluffier its texture becomes.
Gelato is one of the types of ice cream with the lowest air content, at just 25-30%, whereas ordinary ice cream contains 50%. This difference in the amount of air within the dessert’s structure gives it a smoothness similar to that of whipping cream.
The churning speed is the factor that determines the air content of ice cream, and while ordinary ice cream can be placed in an ice cream machine and churned at a medium to high speed, making Gelato in this “rough” industrial machine is not a good choice.
To achieve the right degree of softness and lightness in Gelato, ensuring that it is neither too runny nor too hard, the best option is still to whip the ice cream by hand or use professional Gelato machines to ensure the most balanced amount of air bubbles. With such delicacy and care throughout the preparation process, Gelato is also considered one of the desserts that demonstrates a chef’s skill and class.
Temperature
The temperature during preparation and serving also creates a major difference between Gelato and ice cream. Usually stored at the ideal temperature of around -25 degrees C, ice cream retains its solid, chilled state and its characteristic crisp, airy texture. Gelato, on the other hand, is stored at a slightly warmer temperature, creating scoops of Gelato “as soft as silk” that remain in an enticing half-frozen, half-melted state. This difference is also why ice cream is usually served in shops, restaurants or roaming ice cream carts with large containers packed with ice, whereas Gelato carts travel through the streets of Italy with much lighter and more compact containers.
Soft, light, fluid, graceful and charming – Gelato carries within it the dreamy and romantic essence of enchanting Rome. Alongside its “big brother”, ice cream, which is so familiar to us, the world of desserts also offers a gentler “little sister” in the form of Gelato – the pride of Italian sweets. Gelato has truly established its position alongside ice cream. Rather than existing exclusively in Italy, we can now enjoy the wonderful elegance of this treat all over the world.
Italian Gelato at Baby Boss
Gelato is not simply a dessert; it embodies freshness, refinement and passion in every spoonful. The next time you visit a gelateria, do not forget to stop and treat yourself to a cup of Gelato – to experience the difference and fall even more in love with the beautiful cuisine of Italy.
Visit Baby Boss to enjoy Gelato made in the Italian style in the heart of Vietnam, with more than 32 different fresh fruit flavours!
Hotline: 1900 99 88 80
Website: babyboss.com.vn
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