Kind of the Same, But Also Very Different.
Ice cream and gelato are one of the world’s favorite and beloved desserts. They truly bring delight to all ages. Here are the few similarities and all the differences between ice cream versus gelato:
Similarities
Let’s start with the obvious, they are both cold and the perfect way to cool down on hot summer days.
Then, there are the main ingredients: both contain cream, milk, and sugar.
And, that’s mostly it for similarities.
Differences between Ice Cream versus Gelato
Ratio of Ingredients
Gelato contains mostly milk, whereas ice cream has a higher ratio of cream to milk – hence, ice cream. Also, traditional American recipes also include egg yolks into the mix – hence, it is often also called frozen custard.
Butterfat Content
Because of ice cream’s cream base, it has a higher fat content than gelato’s milk base. In general, ice cream has a minimum of 10% fat content compared to gelato’s 5-7% butterfat content.
This also relates to the fact that gelato has fewer calories than ice cream.
Churning
The amount and intensity of churning also are major differences. In ice cream, it is 50% air-churned which makes it soft and fluffier. Gelato is less churned and at a slower pace, 20-30% total, for a dense and creamier consistency.
Temperature & Taste
Ice cream is kept and served at 0F which makes a firmer scoop and also slightly mutes the sweet flavors. On the other hand, gelato is typically kept and served in warmer temperatures for a softer and silkier bite. The slight warmth helps to bring out and enhance the flavors of gelato.
Serving Scoop
There are specific scoops for each frozen treat. With ice cream, it is the traditional round scoop to shape a perfect ball. With gelato, it is a spade. This is to further emphasize the difference in texture and temperature for the best tasting experience.
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