Gelato is ice cream’s Italian cousin

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My oldest daughter introduced me years ago to gelato and I loved it. I enjoyed the taste and texture of the dessert. I found it to be smoother and creamer than ice cream.
The following, courtesy of Newspaper Metro, gives you several different distinctions of gelato.
Italians have crafted many delicious foods, helping to popularize pizza and various pasta and seafood dishes.
Italians also are no strangers to dessert, as anyone who enjoys cannoli can attest. In the frozen treat arena, Italians present gelato, something similar to ice cream that is creamy and smooth and somehow has less fat than traditional American ice cream.
According to the market research firm Mintel, in the United States, gelato sales rose from $11 million in 2009 to an estimated $214 million in 2014. If a trip to Italy isn’t in the budget right now, consumers can get gelato in Italian cafes and bakeries and in the frozen food section of many supermarkets.
So what are some other distinctions that make gelato so coveted?
Gelato has less cream content and more milk than American ice cream. It also does not use egg yolks, which are traditionally used in ice cream. Italian gelato contains between 4 and 9 percent butterfat, while the average ice cream contains between 15 and 25 percent. In addition, gelato contains less air, which accounts for its dense, fluid and creamy consistency.
The Food Network says that gelato is creamier, silkier and smoother than ice cream. It also is more dense and more elastic. Because gelato is served warmer than American ice cream, it also will not numb the mouth as much, which can make it a more flavorful dessert.
For those who visit a shop to grab some gelato, they’ll likely notice it is served with a spade and not a scooper. Spades soften the gelato for serving.
Gelato comes in many different flavors, but a popular one is spumoni, which is a molded gelato made traditionally with cherry, pistachio and vanilla gelato and candied fruits and nuts.
Thanks to the intense flavor, extra creaminess and a silky, dense texture of gelato, more and more people are looking to it when craving a refreshing dessert.