Gelato and Ice Cream —Is there a difference? Of course, there is, a visit to a Gelato shop Plano, will tell you the difference. Or go through our blog to know why it is sinful to say,’ you call it gelato, I call it ice cream!’ No, it most certainly doesn’t mean the same thing.

Before we take you through the debate on the difference between ice cream and gelato, you should know something about gelatos. Gelatos date back to the Renaissance period when this outstanding creation was served by Cosimo Ruggieri, in the court of the Medici family in Florence. Gelato was restricted to a private court until Francesco Procopio Cutò, from Sicily, made this amazing creation of Italian frozen dessert available in his Gelato shop, Café Le Procope in Paris in 1686. Whipped in traditional flavors, which were the favorites of the locals, the café was known for its custard, vanilla, chocolate, hazelnut, strawberry, lemon, pistachio, raspberry, and fresh peach. There was nothing more authentic than the mix of fresh fruit in the creamiest and lightest gelato that evolved a wider menu, as people discovered the ease of creating these frozen delicacies. Soon banana, mango, pineapple, along with an array of other flavors combined with Italian dessert specialties, became a reality.

During the time of Cutò, the gelato indeed was creamer and softer than the so-called American Ice Cream. However, the high-quality gelato that occupied a position of pride among the finest courts of Italy and also in select outlets soon became more approachable with a common touch. Gradually, with the surge of American ice cream, somewhere the fine line between the two merged and tried to keep pace with commercial viability.

What is the ice cream all about?

Ice cream is America’s favorite dessert option. The country dedicates 9 % of its dairy production to the making of this frozen dessert. Sweetened frozen food is a favorite dessert in America and is available in departmental stores, ice cream parlors, and ice cream shop (s). Made of cream or dairy milk, today’s ice creams are also churned from soy, cashew, coconut, almond milk or tofu, and other milk supplements for those who are lactose intolerant. The flavors are many and most popular ice cream manufacturers whisk interesting tastes enjoyed by a huge following of ice cream lovers; colors are artificially added. In the United States, the government has strict measures to scrutinize and regulate their commercial standard; those that do not meet the criteria are labeled as frozen dairy desserts.

Though ice creams dominated the market of frozen desserts till the 90s, the renaissance of Gelatos was inevitable. What Gelatos can plate, ice creams cannot. Let us find out why.

How is Gelato different from Ice Cream?

When we discuss the difference between fine gelato with ice cream, top gelato connoisseurs from Gelato shop Plano, point out four big differences between gelato and ice cream.

Texture

An indolent spoonful of gelato sit softer and creamer on the tongue than ice cream. The American ice cream cannot beat the silkiness, smoothness, and density of the delightful gelato. The thickness of gelato is fuller than ice cream. The dense creaminess is full and authentic compared to the air-borne fullness that ice creams carry. It has 50% air churned, while gelato just allows 20-30% of air volume to mix with its texture. The creaminess is weightier compared to the illusive lick of ice cream.

Ingredients

The first is the ingredients. When it comes to gelato, it is a cream of milk and egg yolk. The Sicilian-style gelato includes water, cream, and milk while the egg yolk may or may not be added. In American ice cream, equal parts of heavy cream, whole cream, and a lot of egg yolk are a must. The butterfat in the ice cream is 15-25 percent more than gelato.

Temperature

Served at a higher temperature, gelato beats the ice crystals that ice creams can’t and needs none of the icy hardness on the palate, as it does so much with its delectable creaminess that melts smoothly in the mouth. The higher temperature it is served at makes Gelato is a creamy winter treat as opposed to the bone-chilling and jaw-freezing experience that you get after eating ice creams.

Equipment

However, the most outstanding difference lies in their equipment. You must remember that gelato is prepared in a laboratory. Wow, doesn’t that sound like a technique-driven preparation? You bet it is. So what is the equipment? A pasteurizer, batch freezer that is specific to creating gelato and immersion blender. The discontinued batch freezer at -12 degrees is the final point that processes gelatos before they enter the display glass cover.

Ice creams on the other hand use a continuous freezer and the readied frozen desserts are tunneled from the freezer at -40 degrees, to prolong shelf life. The ultra frozen compact bar is allowed to sit in a cold room of -18 degrees, the reason why the taste is dashed by sheer numbness.

Fat content

Though this isn’t too much further away from each other when we write about differences, the fat value in gelato is marginally lesser than ice cream. How? Where ice cream contains 14-25% percent butterfat, the Italian gelato wins hands-on by 4-9%. That’s the reason for an after ice cream eating butter fat coat on the palate which gelato proudly beats.

Serving

You can scoop ice cream, but scooping a gelato would dampen its texture and taste. You will find Italian gelato shops or Gelato shop Plano serving gelato with a spade. While American ice cream shop or ice cream shop Plano, scoop the frozen desserts in cups and softies.

Even the closer to gelato sorbet outweighs closer to ice cream popsicle!

A close relative of gelato is Sorbet, which can be either dairy-free or milk-induced. Pumped with real fruits, the juice along with a mix of sugar and water this isn’t anywhere close to a popsicle, in fact, it is almost comparable to a gelato! No exaggerations, just pop into a Gelato shop Plano, to verify. The creaminess can make you slip into a dream. This is another Italian frozen dessert that you cannot forget in a hurry.

Where is the perfect gelato sold?

Your quest for a perfect gelato shop is understandable. This Italian frozen dessert is famous in Italy but if a craving is born in the U.S.A, can you fly down to Italy? You might if you are one of those food hunters whose urges are insatiable. But if you keep an open mind a few Gelato makers in Plano are building a following with their clever inputs in the art of Gelato making. Though there are not many shops that sell gelatos as compared to ice creams, if the fine taste is what you are after, you need to be discreet and discerning in selecting a good gelato shop. You may have to come to Plano Texas to satisfy yourself.

Why do gelatos delight winters more than ice creams?

Now that is an easy one, gelato as you know is served at a higher temperature and therefore melts easily in the mouth over ice cream that almost numbs the taste buds in winters. Gelato agrees with winter weather and cares for your craving. The most popular gelato at the top authentic gelato shop could easily be butterscotch, pistachio, almond, peanut butter, hazelnut, walnut, Nutella, chocolate mousse, French vanilla, tiramisu, cookie butter. The list is endless, the texture and the feeling it leaves behind is invigorating to the senses. Let us take you through the top gelato flavors that you won’t want to miss this winter.

Peanut Butter

Some might argue that Gelato is essentially a summer treat, the golden pure peanut butter simply and softly melts in your mouth dissipating its authentic flavors even in the winters. You don’t need add-ons or mixing with other chocolate gelato flavors, all you need is a mouth full of hunger and a soul full of satisfaction. You will find it in its indomitable flavors.

Butterscotch

Your winter needs a touch of butterscotch gelato. The crunchiness of butterscotch goes well with some hot caramel syrup.

Pistachio

The color, flavor, and enticing smell are exciting and richly drizzled with grated pistachio nuts adding warmth to winters.

Almond

Thick creamy almonds with chopped nuts can do wonders when you take a spoonful inside your mouth. Your winters will be reinforced with an extra helping of rich Almond Gelato.

Hazelnut

Close to coffee, the hazelnut’s thick cream gelato with roasted nuts crunches warmly in the mouth infused with the creamy slurp. The more you go deep into the gelato, the nuttier it gets.

Walnut

Nothing can beat walnut for winters. All you need is a warm place next to the heater and a quilt cozily covering you, an afternoon sneak into your favorite series or a book you are reading, and a cup full of crunchy walnut gelato.

Nutella

Nothing can be more scrummy than Nutella this winter, not just Nutella but Nutella gelato. Allow it to pervade you. Slowly sinking and basking in the gelato flavors, enrich your winters with a taste that ensures happiness.

Chocolate Mousse

The velvety light texture reminds you of an original chocolate mousse dessert. Allow yourself to be driven by the sheer bliss of the flavor.

French Vanilla

The rich custard-like taste is a thick volume of creamy richness. Complete the plating with a generous spread of nuts and fruits if you like or whisk vanilla in all its creaminess and enjoy the softness, subtlety, and honesty of the delicious French flavor.

Tiramisu

The layers of sweetened mascarpone cheese and cocoa powder are soaked in crunchiness and mixed with Italian cookies. The experience is epic and can flatter any dull winter day.

Cookie Butter

Crunchy Speculoos cookies ribboned with fudgy butter is an ultra-rich, creamy and smooth bite, just let it slide into your mouth and give you ample reason to brave the winter.

Walk into an authentic gelato shop to make your experience of the gelato spoonfuls better than ice cream!