Get the Scoop on What Sets the Frozen Treats Apart

Gelato and ice cream may both be refreshing on a hot summer’s day—but the chilled delicacies are really very different. Upon first glance, gelato and ice cream can really appear to be one in the same based on their comparable exteriors. However, the uniqueness of each one is apparent when you consider how each one is produced, served, tastes and feels.

They Are Not Created Equally    

Gelato, originally created in Italy, was first made using egg yolks as the base with sugar, milk and water or sorbetto. These raw ingredients were then heated in a large pan and chilled, with the addition of fresh fruits, nuts or any other type of flavoring the final step. Today, gelato is made a bit differently, although it still yields the same delicious, tasty treat. The gelato ingredients are placed in a pasteurizer, where the gelato is heated for a matter of seconds until the temperature drops. The gelato is then placed into a batch freezer, where the contents are frozen and stirred simultaneously. Ice cream, on the other hand, is created differently. Cream or milk, sugar and occasionally, eggs, are made to be frozen, then churned into the final form. Usually, ice cream manufacturers use stabilizers in order to make the ice cream pasteurized. Once the ice cream mixture is frozen, a machine is used to combine air, which keeps the ice crystals small and further freezes it into the creamy final product.

You Serve Them Differently

Gelato and ice cream might be confused more times than not, especially when either one is displayed in a storefront or bakery. However, gelato is not served the same way. Gelato must be served about 10 to 15 degrees warmer than ice cream is, at around 7 to 12 degrees Fahrenheit. Because gelato is less frozen solidly, it needs to be served warmer so that its flavor can fully be tasted at the time that it is eaten. With ice cream, the flavor can be tasted even when it’s at its coldest. Not to mention, ice cream is traditionally served using an ice cream scooper, while gelato is served with a spade.

The Textures Are Not Alike

As far as texture goes, ice cream is creamy. It’s also usually harder, with a tougher exterior. This can be largely due to the fact that it is served at a much colder temperature than gelato is. When compared to gelato, ice cream is significantly less creamy. Gelato is smoother and silkier than ice cream. Because gelato is churned at a much slower pace than ice cream and contains less air, it is usually a lot denser as far as texture goes.

Gelato is Healthier than Ice Cream

Ice cream is most certainly the unhealthier of the two, as the frozen American treat consists of 10 percent butterfat, with up to 25 percent fat total. Since gelato is made with much smaller amounts of cream and eggs, it is naturally healthier than ice cream. In comparison, gelato only has about 4 to 9 percent fat in it. Since gelato also has less air than ice cream, in combination with the lowered amount of butterfat, satisfied customers can really taste the difference—the flavor emerges more.

Try Fresh Gelato at Calandra’s Bakery Today

Even though gelato was first invented in Italy many years ago, Calandra’s Bakery makes sure that the original taste remains intact when it is created fresh at every location each day throughout the year. Calandra’s Bakery is proud to serve handcrafted gelato, using fresh milk, cream and sugar. Customers have a wide range of gelato flavors to choose from, including but not limited to vanilla, chocolate, stracciatella, pistachio, biscottino, hazelnut, raspberry, strawberry, tiramisu, chocolate raspberry and coffee. Gelato is made fresh at the three main New Jersey Calandra’s Bakery locations in Newark, Fairfield and Caldwell. Stop in for a fresh gelato while the weather is nice, or contact Calandra’s Bakery to learn more information by filling out an online form.