What is the difference between ice cream and gelato?

Ice cream and gelato is essentially the same thing, right? Actually, you’d be surprised. While both desserts look pretty alike and have similar ingredients in the mix, there are a number of clear distinctions that separate ice cream and gelato – including how they are made and the taste profile of each frozen treat.

What exactly is gelato?

It’s not incorrect to say that a gelato is a form of ice cream; indeed, gelato and ice cream share the same core base ingredients – milk, sugar and air – and are both served frozen.

While both pay homage to the original form of ice cream invented in ancient China, the roots of gelato are a bit closer to home. Gelato is an evolution of traditional ice cream and was first popularised in Italy (‘gelato’ is literally ‘ice cream’ in Italian).

Compared to ice cream, gelato has a denser, richer flavour and will often contain real fruit, vanilla pods or other natural flavourings, as opposed to the artificial flavours often found in commercially sold modern ice creams.

The denser consistency of gelato comes from the percentage of air held in the product, which is known in the industry as ‘overrun’. An authentic gelato has a low overrun and so uses far less air (containing as little as one part air to five parts ingredients) compared to a high overrun commercial ice cream (which has typically about one part air to one part ingredients). Less air in the mix means more ingredients per mililitre, resulting in a firmer, fuller scoop. A commercial ice cream, by contrast, will taste lighter and fluffier as it contains a higher percentage of air – and you’ll need to eat quite a bit more of it in order to feel full.

Because gelato is denser and firmer than ice cream, it needs to be served slightly warmer for optimal taste. For optimum serving, you should take a tub of gelato out of the freezer approximately ten minutes before serving (this also makes the gelato softer and more malleable when scooping). The slightly warmer serving temperature unlocks the flavours, giving it a stronger burst of flavour in each mouthful. 

Having said this, it’s important to note that not everything you see labelled as ‘gelato’ matches up with the definition above. In English-speaking countries, the term ‘gelato’ is often used by ice cream manufacturers wanting to give their ice cream a more premium look and feel, rather than referring to the fact that the product is made to the standards of traditional Italian gelato. As such, it’s worth looking out for terms such as ‘authentic gelato’ or ‘Italian gelato’, which are likely to indicate that the product is the real deal, rather than a dressed-up imitation.

Is gelato healthier than ice cream?

While neither gelato nor ice cream can be defined as a health food, an authentic gelato will usually contain less sugar and have a lower fat content than an ice cream – and may also be lower in calories as a result. That said, gelato is still relatively high in sugar should definitely be eaten in moderation as an occasional treat, rather than as an everyday part of your diet.  

Depending on the flavour and how it is made, commercial ice cream often contains a whole host of artificial additives and flavourings – especially if it is made using pre-fabricated mixes. Authentic Italian gelato, meanwhile, should only contain natural, high-quality ingredients. For example, 41% of the ingredients mix for Beau’s Raspberry gelato is purely raspberries, while the Coffee and Pistachio flavours use real organic coffee grounds and Fair Trade pistachios respectively.

Where additives are used in gelato, this is usually for the purposes of prolonging shelf life, ensuring the product does not spoil and stops large ice crystals from forming. Some gelato producers will use artificial additives but there are natural alternatives available (at Beau’s we use lecithin derived from sunflowers as a product emulsifier and guar gum – a fibre extracted from guar beans – to bind the gelato together).

How do you make vegan gelato?

Gelato – like ice cream – is not traditionally a vegan product, as it uses dairy milk as one of its base ingredients. However, unlike typical ice cream, gelato doesn’t use egg yolk as a binding agent, instead of introducing a larger amount of milk into the mix, making it easier to veganise.

Instead of using cow’s milk, vegan gelato can be made using a number of plant-based milks. Some gelato makers use oat or coconut milk, while at Beau’s we prefer cashew milk as it provides a wonderfully creamy texture. As these alternative milks contain decent amounts of fat, they are an ideal vegan substitute for dairy products while keeping the gelato.

Gelato vs Ice Cream – the key differences, summarised

• Gelato tends to be denser and firmer than ice cream

• As gelato is served at a slightly higher temperature, it has a richer flavour profile than ice cream

• Gelato typically contains far less air than ice cream, meaning more ingredients per ml

• Gelato typically contains less fat, sugar and calories than ice cream

• Gelato is usually made without eggs, making it easier than ice cream to adapt to a vegan recipe

• Authentic gelato is made using natural ingredients rather than artificial additives, which most commercial ice creams employ to improve the flavour