What makes Italian Gelato so special? - Restaurante italiano Rossini (2024)

FAQs

What makes Italian Gelato so special? - Restaurante italiano Rossini? ›

What makes gelato so special? The secret of Italian gelato lies in its artisanal preparation and the careful selection of fresh and natural ingredients. Unlike industrial ice creams, gelato contains less air, making it a creamer and denser option.

The key feature that really makes the difference between Italian gelato and ice cream is the use of fresh raw materials. For the ice cream, in fact, milk powder is rehydrated on the spot. The Italian gelato, instead, is made with milk and fresh cream. It therefore represents a more genuine food.

GELATERIA DONDOLI San Gimignano | A World Champion Gelato.

The ingredients for gelato

To make a good craft gelato, you can choose from a wide range of ingredients, depending on your needs and on the tastes of your customers. Very common ingredients such as milk, sugar, fruit, water, cream, eggs, powdered milk and fructose are used.

When it comes to the best gelato in Italy, Florence and Rome are neck and neck. Summer in Italy means one thing: gelato, and lots of it. Any major Italian city has a gelateria on just about every corner, and when the temperatures soar (like they are this summer!) it's the perfect pitstop to cool off.

Unlike industrial ice creams, which often have high levels of incorporated air to increase volume, gelato is churned at a slower speed, preventing the formation of ice crystals and resulting in a creamier and denser treat.

The main difference between ice cream and gelato is their fat content. With only 4-9% fat to the usual 10-25% of ice cream, gelato usually is lighter and healthier. Per portion, however, the answer is clear, gelato is typically healthier than ice cream.

Meanwhile, mounds indicate that air has been pumped into the gelato to make it voluminous instead of flavorful. The best gelato is flat and dense with muted colors—a sure sign that there are only fresh, natural, and raw ingredients.

Finally, Italy is also a world leader in the manufacture of machinery and showcases for gelato parlours.

Bright colors, conferred by artificial additives, are one giveaway: A gelato made with high-quality pistachios shouldn't be bright green, but on the brown side, while a real banana gelato is greyish-white, rather than yellow. Another tip-off is when you see gelato piled up in mounds in the display case.

What is the most popular ice cream in Italy? ›

The most popular gelato flavor in Italy is “fior di latte,” which is a simple vanilla flavor. It's made with milk, sugar, and vanilla extract, and it's loved by locals and tourists alike. Other popular flavors include chocolate, pistachio, and stracciatella, which is a vanilla flavor with chocolate chips.

To order gelato in Italy, specify the size and flavor, starting with Vorrei… For example, Vorrei un cono piccolo con cioccolato e lampone (I would please like a small cone with chocolate and raspberry). How do you say gelato flavors in Italian? Gelato flavors is gusti di gelato in Italian.

Hungarian ice cream maker Ádám Fazekas has been ranked #1 in Gelato Festival's 2024 world ranking. He beat out Giovanna Bonazzi from Parona, Italy in second place by 14 points; and Savannah G. Lee from San Francisco, California, USA by 19 points in third place. Fazekas ended the competition with 227 points.

To tell the truth, in Italy we eat gelato all year round (too good!), but it is certainly in the summer that we enjoy this pleasure the most. After lunch (or as lunch), in the afternoon, late at night… any time is good to enjoy a gelato! It is nice to eat it in company.

Gelato is best served at 10-15 degrees warmer. Gelato is softer at that temperature, and it also lets flavors emerge more easily. Butterfat content is very different between the two. Gelato has more milk than cream, resulting in 4-9% fat.

The best gelato is flat and dense with muted colors—a sure sign that there are only fresh, natural, and raw ingredients.

Unlike ice cream, Italian ice cream has a full, delicious, unmistakable consistency. In addition, made in Italy ice cream is served at temperatures that are on average less cold and therefore more suitable for enhancing its velvety body and intense flavor.

Gelato is an Italian word that translates to ice cream in English. But the words are not interchangeable. Their ingredients, textures, and how they are created are all different. How do you choose between gelato and ice cream?

People eat gelato in Italy because it is a beloved traditional dessert that originated in the country. Italian gelato is known for its rich, creamy texture and intense flavors, making it a popular choice for locals and visitors alike, especially during the warm summer months.