Gelato or Ice Cream? I say...why choose? We can love both! But if you were wondering about some of the differences, I've put together a few notes that I thought you might find interesting:
- Both gelato and ice cream start with a similar custard base.
- Gelato tends to be more creamy and dense because it has a higher proportion of milk and lower proportion of cream and eggs (or no eggs at all).
- Ice cream is required to have at least 10% milkfat. Most medium to high-end ice cream brands have more like 14% to 17% milkfat and is made with egg yolks.
- Gelato is churned at a slow rate, incorporating less air and leaving the gelato dense.
- Ice cream, on the other hand, is churned at a high speed to incorporate more air in the mixture.
- Gelato is normally denser, and milkier in texture yet has a soft elastic texture, while ice cream is richer and creamier.
- The temperature at which the two are served is different too. Ice cream is best served at about 10 degrees F. If gelato were served at that temperature it would be way too hard, and would lose that elastic texture we love. Gelato is normally served 15 degrees warmer than ice cream. If ice cream were served at the same temperature as gelato, it would melt and become soupy.
- People tend to say that gelato is less fattening than ice cream, however, since the nutritional comparison is based on ounces, unless you serve yourself a smaller scoop of gelato, you may be consuming the same calories, fat and sugar as ice cream.
So now that we've equipped ourselves with some facts, I say blah blah blah and just eat what you like! It's Memorial Day Weekend here in America and for us it's the 'official' start of summer, so let the Gelato/Ice Cream eating begin!! (In moderation of course as it's also the start of bathing suit season!)
Big Love,
PatriciaG
This is just a small synopsis of the gelato vs ice cream debate. Feel free to do your own research for more in-depth comparisons. If you feel inspired to share, please do so in the comments section below. I would love to hear from you. Grazie! Most of my photos are available for sale on my Etsy shop. If you see something on this site that isn't on Etsy, just shoot me an email and I'll make it available.
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