Gelato vs. Ice Cream: What's the Difference?

Gelato is a type of Italian Ice Cream, you hear this word associated with top brands you'll find in the freezer aisle and it is commonly found being served in Ice Cream Parlours in Italy. 

There is a variation on prices between the two and you would normally expect to pay more for a similar Gelato product than it's Ice Cream counterpart.

Gelato is made with milk, cream, sugar, and flavouring. It also typically has less air than you would find in ice cream, which results in a thicker denser texture. 

Ice cream has the same ingredients however the mix of these is different and this leads to ice cream containing more air than Gelato so results in a lighter texture. 

So in short Ice cream tends to be more cream based whilst gelato is milk based.

This leads to a more intense flavour found in Gelato comparted to Ice Cream as you are eating a more dense thicker combination of ingredients which most people will prefer.

Gelato therefore typically has less fat content and fewer calories than Ice Cream because it is made with less cream in the mix.

You'll find that Gelato is served at a slightly higher temperature than Ice Cream, at around 10-22°F as opposed to Ice Cream which is served at around 6-10°F. This means that Gelato is eaten at a warmer temperature rather than the sharp coldness you sometimes get with Ice Cream and so less likely to give you brain freeze!

Gelato will melt in your mouth much quicker than Ice Cream giving you an intense flavour hit straight away.

 Whilst Ice Cream can sometimes sit in your mouth and you only get the full flavour once it has started to melt.

So next time you're debating between these two delicious desserts, remember to consider what you 're really in the mood for. 

Do you want a light and fluffy treat, or something more rich and flavourful? If you're looking for an indulgent experience, gelato is definitely the way to go!