The difference between gelato and ice cream
Many people believe the main difference between gelato and ice cream is just a matter of name; that gelato is simply the Italian word for ice cream. But that's not entirely true.
Gelato—which actually means "frozen" in Italian—differs from ice cream in several important ways. From the ingredients and the manufacturing process to storage and serving, here's what exactly the difference is between gelato and ice cream.
Ingredients The basic ingredients for dairy gelato and ice cream contain a very similar list of ingredients – milk, cream, egg yolks and sugar – but the proportions in the two recipes differ significantly.
Gelato contains more milk, but significantly less cream and fewer egg yolks than ice cream. In fact, in southern Italian regions like Campania and Sicily, gelato often dispenses with egg yolks altogether, relying instead on a mixture of sweetened whole milk thickened with locust bean gum. Ice cream (as the name suggests) contains significantly more cream and also more egg yolks.
This means that milk-based gelato has a much lower fat content than ice cream.
Production Both ice cream and gelato are stirred to bring the base mixture to a firmer consistency, but they are not stirred in the same way.
Standard ice cream machines churn the mixture at high speed to incorporate a lot of air. In contrast, the stirring tools in gelato machines move very slowly and incorporate much less air into the mixture.
The result is that gelato is much denser and creamier than the fluffy, airy ice cream.
Temperature With a lower fat content and significantly less air than ice cream, you might expect gelato to solidify when frozen. Instead, gelato is softer and more velvety than ice cream—but how?
The key lies in the temperature at which gelato is frozen, stored, and served. Gelato is typically frozen, stored, and served at temperatures about 10°C warmer than ice cream, which is typically stored at approximately -18°C.
This gentler freezing process ensures that gelato is softer than the harder, scoopable ice cream. That's why almost all gelaterias in Italy use a flat spatula to pour their gelato into cups or cones—gelato simply isn't cold enough to be portioned like ice cream.
This also means that gelato is not easily transportable; it tastes best when freshly prepared and is ideally sold within 48 to 96 hours.
So, the taste test: Gelato contains less fat, less air, and is served at a higher temperature than ice cream. But how does this affect the texture and taste when you finally enjoy your favorite flavor?
Texturally, gelato has a velvety mouthfeel that's less creamy than ice cream. This difference in texture actually affects how you taste it: Cold, high-fat ice cream coats and numbs the tongue, muting some of the flavors. Warmer, lower-fat gelato is much more direct; the main flavor emerges more intensely and then quickly dissipates.
This partly explains why your gelato—whether pistachio, chocolate, or simply fior di latte—will showcase its main flavor so much more strongly than similar ice creams.
