Gelato (Italian: [dʒeˈlaːto]; lit.'frozen') is the common word in Italian for all types of ice cream. In English, it specifically refers to a frozen dessert of Italian origin. Artisanal gelato in Italy generally contains 6–9% butterfat, which is lower than other styles of frozen dessert.[16][17] Gelato typically contains 35% air (substantially less than American-style ice cream) and more flavoring than other types of frozen desserts, giving it an intense flavor with creamy, smooth texture, density and richness that distinguishes it from other ice creams.[18][19][20]

Gelato
TypeIce cream
CourseDessert
Place of originItaly
Serving temperature−14 to −11 °C
7 to 12 °F[1][2][3][4][5]
Main ingredients
Ingredients generally usedFlavorings (fruit, nut, chocolate, etc.)[8][9]
VariationsFrozen custard
Other information
Usually served with a spade instead of ice cream scooper[15]

Name

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In Italian, gelato means simply 'frozen' and is the generic word for any type or style of ice cream.[21] In English, however, the term has come to be used to refer to a specific style of ice cream derived from the Italian artisanal tradition.[22]

History

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In the 9th century, after the Muslim conquest of Sicily, frozen desserts such as sherbet were introduced on the island.[23]

In 1295, Marco Polo returned to Venice from China with a recipe similar to sorbet.[24]

Cosimo Ruggeri and Bernardo Buontalenti were 16th-century contemporaries who are credited by some sources with the invention of gelato,[25] while other sources claims that Sicilian cooks gradually modified the sherbet recipe over time, giving birth to the earliest form of gelato.[23]

In Florence, Cosimo Ruggeri is credited with creating one of the first gelati, fior di latte, at the court of Catherine de' Medici, in a competition with the theme "il piatto più singolare che si fosse mai visto" (lit.'the most unique dish that had ever been seen').[26][27][28][29]

In the 1530s, Catherine de' Medici took gelato to Paris.[25][30]

Around 1565, Bernardo Buontalenti, an innovator in ice conservation, made a sorbet with ice, salt, lemon, wine, milk, sugar, egg, and honey,[31] "plus orange and bergamot flavouring".[32] Buontalenti is credited with inventing gelato alla crema,[25][28] whipped cream or egg cream gelato,[31][33] the precursor to modern Florentine gelato.[34][28]

In 1686,[28] Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli, a Sicilian,[35] brought his grandfather Francesco's[36] gelato-making machine to Paris, opened Café Procope and introduced the dessert.[37] Procopio obtained French citizenship, and a royal license from Louis XIV, making him the sole producer of the frozen dessert in the kingdom.[38][39][40] Being one of the first to sell gelato directly to the public[41] (prior to then it was reserved only for nobles),[42] and making it known in the rest of Europe, Procopio is sometimes referred to as "the father of Italian gelato".[43]

In 1843, Nancy Johnson patented the hand-cranked ice cream freezer in the United States: this innovation led to the broader dissemination of ice cream and eventually to industrial production.[44] In 1904, Emery Thompson in the United States built the first automated ice cream machine.[45]

In 1945, in Bologna, Bruto Carpigiani began selling gelato-making equipment,[46][47] and created Motogelatiera, the first automated gelato machine.[33] The batch freezer made it easier to store frozen desserts.[33] Carpigiani is a big manufacturer of gelato machinery.[47]

The largest ice cream cone in the world was created in 2011 in Rimini during the 32nd edition of the International Exhibition of Handcrafted Gelato, Pastry, and Bakery. The cone, made with over 2000 wafers, was 2.81 metres (9 ft 3 in) tall and weighed 70 kilograms (150 lb). Leading the team of 7 artisans who accomplished the feat was the chocolatier Mirco Della Vecchia.[48]

Commercial production

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The process of making gelato is complex, starting with a custard base, mixed with milk and sugar, heating the ingredients to 85 °C (185 °F) for pasteurization. Then, it is lowered to 5 °C (41 °F) and mixed to the desired texture. The mixed gelato is then batched in the freezer.[49] In the "sprint" process, milk or water is added to a package of ingredients which is then mixed and batched to achieve that creamy consistency.[50][citation needed]

As with other ice creams, the sugar in gelato prevents it from freezing solid by binding to the water and interfering with the normal formation of ice crystals. This creates smaller ice crystals and results in the smooth texture of gelato.[51] Commercial gelati are often sweetened with inverted sugar, sucrose, dextrose or xylitol,[52] and may include a stabilizer such as guar gum.[53]

Flavors

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The original fior di latte is a plain, base ice cream with no flavor and no eggs added. Stracciatella is fior di latte gelato with chocolate chunks. Traditional flavors of gelato include crema ('custard'), vanilla, chocolate, hazelnut, almond, and pistachio.[54] Modern flavors include a variety of fruit flavors and also new, unexpected flavors such as extra virgin olive oil or basil.

See also

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Dairy
  • Stracciatella – a gelato that includes chocolate chunks
  • Semifreddo – a class of semi-frozen dessert
  • Parfait – a type of dessert that is similar to a semifreddo
  • Sherbet – a frozen dessert made from sugar-sweetened water, milk or cream, and various flavorings
  • Custard – a dessert made with cream, eggs, and vanilla
  • Frozen custard – a frozen dessert made with cream and eggs
  • Frozen yogurt – a frozen dessert made with a base of yogurt rather than milk
Non-dairy
  • Granita – a semi-frozen dessert made from sugar, water, and various flavorings
  • Italian ice – also known as "water ice", a frozen dessert made from syrup concentrate or fruit purees over crushed ice
  • Sorbet – called sorbetto in Italian

References

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  1. ^ "Story". Herne Hill railway station: Minus 12˚ Craft Ice Cream. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  2. ^ "Ice Cream vs. Gelato vs. Sherbet vs. Sorbet: What's the Difference?". MasterClass. September 28, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  3. ^ "Gelato FAQs". ecco un poco. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  4. ^ "Gelato vs. Ice Cream". sweetcycle. July 19, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  5. ^ Mullan, Michael. "Plotting freezing point curves for ice cream and gelato mixes". dairyscience.info. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  6. ^ Druckman, Charlotte (May 30, 2017). "Why You Haven't Heard of America's Greatest Gelato Maker". Eater. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  7. ^ This, Herve (May 11, 2019). "Conservation de sorbets et glaces". Hervé This vo Kientza. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  8. ^ "Olive Oil Gelato Recipe". Serious Eats. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  9. ^ "Il gelato artigianale" (in Italian). Pasticceria Mosaico di Aquileia. July 31, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  10. ^ "Traditional Frozen Treats". Molecular Recipes. KQ2 Ventures LLC. June 28, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  11. ^ "I grassi in gelateria: perché utilizzare la panna e quando è possibile sostituirla". Frascheri Professionale S.p.A (in Italian). May 20, 2021. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  12. ^ Quirk, Mary Beth (July 14, 2017). "What's The Difference Between Ice Cream, Frozen Custard, and Gelato?". Consumer Reports. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  13. ^ D'Ulivo, Lucia (May 15, 2018). "Come fare il gelato in casa: 3 trucchi per risultati da gelateria". Edible Molecules. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  14. ^ Davis, Bea. "May is Artisan Gelato Month". Paris Gourmet. Carlstadt, New Jersey. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  15. ^ "Gelato v Ice Cream: Temperature & Method". Bravo Gelato. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  16. ^ "Calorie e valori nutrizionali del gelato", Paginemediche [1]
  17. ^ M. T. Wroblewski (December 6, 2018). "Nutrition Facts on Gelato Compared to Ice Cream". San Francisco Gate. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  18. ^ Poggioli, Sylvia (June 17, 2013). "Italian University Spreads the 'Gelato Gospel'". NPR. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
  19. ^ Goff, H. Douglas (June 1997). "Colloidal aspects of ice cream—A review" (PDF). International Dairy Journal. 7 (6–7): 363–373. doi:10.1016/S0958-6946(97)00040-X. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 6, 2022.
  20. ^ Goff, H.D.; Caldwell, K.B.; Stanley, D.W.; Maurice, T.J. (May 1993). "The Influence of Polysaccharides on the Glass Transition in Frozen Sucrose Solutions and Ice Cream" (PDF). Journal of Dairy Science. 76 (5): 1268–1277. doi:10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(93)77456-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 9, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  21. ^ "Gelato in the Italian-English dictionary". Cambridge Dictionary.
  22. ^ "Gelato in the English dictionary". Cambridge Dictionary.
  23. ^ a b Goldstein, Darra (2015). The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0199313396.
  24. ^ "Storia del gelato fiorentino: Caterina de' Medici e Buontalenti". It's Tuscany (in Italian). Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  25. ^ a b c Gemelli, Marco (May 9, 2013). "Chi inventò il gelato? Sfida fiorentina tra Buontalenti e Ruggeri". Il Forchettiere (in Italian). Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  26. ^ "Storia del gelato e della crema fiorentina Buontalenti". About Florence (in Italian). Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  27. ^ Caviezel, Luca (2016). Scienza e tecnologia del gelato artigianale (in Italian). Pinerolo: Chiriotti. ISBN 9788896027271. OCLC 104596040.
  28. ^ a b c d "Gelato: A history of the world's favorite dessert and traditionally authentic gelaterias in Florence". Destination Florence. Florence: Destination Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau scrl. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  29. ^ "Buontalenti, l'artista che inventò il gelato fiorentino". FirenzeToday (in Italian). August 15, 2016. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  30. ^ Jewkes, Stephen (October 1, 2012). "Italy opens world's first gelato culture museum". Reuters. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  31. ^ a b Jones, Adam (July 26, 2019). "The story behind Italy's love of gelato". ItaliaRail. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  32. ^ Steadman, Philip (April 13, 2021). "The 'garden of marvels' at Pratolino". Renaissance Fun: The Machines Behind the Scenes. 7: 279–327. doi:10.2307/j.ctv18msqmt.16. ISBN 9781787359161. JSTOR j.ctv18msqmt.16. S2CID 241909486. Retrieved July 6, 2022. Giovanni Battista della Porta describes a method by which 'Wine may freeze in glasses' using saltpetre (Natural Magick, English edition, 1658, p. 324
  33. ^ a b c "History". Carpigiani Gelato Museum. Archived from the original on October 7, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  34. ^ David, Elizabeth (January 20, 2011). Harvest of the Cold Months: The Social History of Ice and Ices. Faber & Faber. ISBN 9780571275328.
  35. ^ "FRANCESCO PROCOPIO CUTO'" (PDF). Comune di Palermo (in Italian). Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  36. ^ Sorini, Alex Revelli; Cutini, Susanna. "Procopio Cutò e il gelato". enciclopedia digitale di culture e politiche alimentari. Accademia Italiana Gastronomia e Gastrosofia. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  37. ^ Polliotti, Luciana (2017). Il genio del gelato. Francesco Procopio Cutò. Storie d'amore, di talento e di alchimia tra Palermo e Parigi (in Italian). Bologna, Italy: Fausto Lupetti Editore. ISBN 9788868741860.
  38. ^ Olga Stornello (November 1, 2018). "Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli: the man who invented gelato". Sicilian Post. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  39. ^ Polliotti, Luciana (1999). Gelati gelati. Milano: Mondadori. ISBN 9788804447283. OCLC 432911498.
  40. ^ Caviezel, Luca; Polliotti, Luciana (2010). I pochi segreti e le molte virtù del gelato artigianale di tradizione italiana : spunti di riflessione sul mestiere di gelatiere nel terzo millennio (con una galleria di ricette, anche storiche). Longarone: Longarone Fiere. OCLC 963873066.
  41. ^ Johns, Pamela Sheldon (2000). Gelato!: Italian Ice Creams, Sorbetti & Granite. Ten Speed Press. p. 12. ISBN 9781580081979. Gelato found commercial success in France in 1686, where it was created by Sicilian Francesco Procopio dei Cotelli at Café Procope in Paris.
  42. ^ Rex-Johnson, Braiden (2003). Pike Place Market Cookbook: Recipes, Anecdotes, and Personalities from Seattle's Renowned Public Market. Sasquatch Books. p. 152. ISBN 9781570613197.
  43. ^ Moramarco, p. 208 The father of Italian gelato is Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli, a Sicilian aristocrat who established a chain of coffee houses throughout Europe in the late seventeenth century.
  44. ^ US 3254, Nancy M. & Johnson, "Artificial Freezer", published September 9, 1843 
  45. ^ Donati, Silvia (July 2, 2015). "Foodie Guide to Gelato". Italy Magazine. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
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  47. ^ a b "Taste the History of Gelato". ITALY Magazine. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  48. ^ "A Rimini il gelato più alto del mondo". Televideo RAI. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  49. ^ "Ice Cream Hardness". Ice Cream Calculator. May 31, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  50. ^ "What's the difference between popsicle, gelato and sorbet?". The Indian Express. September 14, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  51. ^ Omran, A. Monem (July 1974). "Kinetics of ice crystallization in sugar solutions and fruit juices". AIChE Journal. 20 (4): 795–803. Bibcode:1974AIChE..20..795O. doi:10.1002/aic.690200422.
  52. ^ Hills, Sarah (April 1, 2009). "Danisco unveils gelato concept for industrial production". FoodNavigator. William Reed Ltd. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  53. ^ "COSA È LA BILANCIATURA?". Gelato Per Passione (in Italian). August 12, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  54. ^ Thompson, Kelly R.; Chambers, Delores H.; Chambers IV, Edgar (June 2009). "Sensory Characteristics of ice cream produced in the United States and Italy" (PDF). Journal of Sensory Studies. 24 (3): 396–414. doi:10.1111/j.1745-459X.2009.00217.x. Retrieved July 6, 2022.

Further reading

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