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<\/p>\nYou may already know of each of these dairy-based frozen desserts, but what\u2019s with the different names for three sweets that each appear to be fundamentally the same? What are the differences between custard and ice cream and, actually, aren\u2019t gelato and custard one and the same?<\/p>\n
Get out that ice cream maker and don your snow boots because we\u2019re spending a little time out in the cold for a full frozen dessert breakdown! We\u2019ll answer these questions and more, covering everything you need to know about ice cream vs. custard vs. gelato.<\/p>\n
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Let\u2019s start with the sweet treat that is likely most well-known to most folks: ice cream! Most ice cream recipes are quite simple, with a basis of cream, sugar, and any flavorings or mix in\u2019s. Some homemade ice cream or small batch producers choose to include egg yolks for thickness, while larger commercial ice cream makers may incorporate natural gums or carrageenan to promote cohesivity throughout the product and that wonderfully thick mouthfeel.<\/p>\n
Another unique characteristic of ice cream is the amount of air that is whipped into it during freezing, also known as overrun. Ice cream contains a significant amount of overrun, sometimes as much as 100% meaning that 2 cups of ice cream base could become a full quart of ice cream after it is whipped and frozen!<\/p>\n
Due to the way that ice cream is mixed–and the amount of air that is incorporated–as it freezes, ice cream tends to feature ice crystals which are quite large, giving the finished product a light, fluffy texture. This type of ice cream is often referred to as \u201cAmerican Style\u201d ice cream in other countries, due to the fact that alternate base ingredients and churning methodology are typically employed elsewhere.<\/p>\n
Yes, odd as it may seem, ice cream is <\/em>a product regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Due to the fact that ice cream contains a significant amount of air, the regulations are in place in order to prevent manufacturers from duping customers into purchasing ice cream products that have extremely high air content–and charging full price for it!<\/p>\n Here are the key standards that any frozen dessert must meet in order to be labeled \u201cice cream\u201d:<\/p>\n If you\u2019re familiar with a few Italian words, you\u2019ll get a big hint as to the nature of gelato, seeing as the word itself translates to \u201cfrozen\u201d! Rather than being cream based, gelato typically contains more milk and little or no egg yolk, meaning it also tends to contain less butterfat as compared to other frozen dairy dessert products.<\/p>\n Without that rich heavy cream or any emulsifying egg yolks, it may seem a wonder that gelato still manages to have such a rich, creamy texture. Amazingly, this consistency is simply achieved by the churning process, during which only a small amount of air is allowed to incorporate into the gelato. Most gelatos feature about 30% overrun, but of course this can vary from producer to producer and batch to batch.<\/p>\n Whereas ice cream is regulated and standardized, gelato actually has no <\/em>particular standardization requirements to meet. This can be both a good thing and a bad thing, as it allows gelato makers a bit more freedom to craft and experiment with their frozen treats. But on the other hand, it also doesn\u2019t stop manufacturers from slapping an \u201cItalian gelato\u201d designation on any frozen dessert, whether or not it actually meets the typical expectations one might have of such a product.<\/p>\n That said, there are some basic characteristics that most<\/em> gelato products meet, and that most folks come to associate with this version of a frozen dessert:<\/p>\n Frozen custard, known colloquially as \u201ccustard\u201d (not to be confused with the sweet, creamy, un<\/em>-frozen pudding-style dessert of the same name!) is said to have been invented one hot summer day on Coney Island. A pair of ice cream vendors discovered that by adding eggs to their product, it would be denser and richer, and most importantly, stay cold longer. This was ideal for their eager customers who purchased their frozen treats and then proceeded to enjoy them as they wandered about the boardwalk.<\/p>\n From this origin point, the joy of frozen custard began spreading and custard stands started popping up everywhere. One place you won\u2019t<\/em> find frozen custard, however, is your local grocery store. This is because frozen custard is best enjoyed straight away, as tossing it into a freezer would alter the special smooth and creamy texture of this treat–essentially destroying what makes frozen custard, well, frozen custard!<\/p>\n There are a few FDA regulations that apply to custard, mainly to dictate where the line is drawn between custard and ice cream. In addition to these guidelines, there are also several general expectations that most people have when it comes to their scoop of frozen custard!<\/p>\n Now that we understand the basics of these classic frozen sweets, let\u2019s review the key differences between the three.<\/p>\n All three of these products contain the same base ingredients with a few minor differences.\u00a0Ice cream<\/strong> is made from cream and\/or milk, sugar, and sometimes a small amount of egg yolk. Gelato<\/strong> features less cream and is more milk based, but it typically does not contain eggs. Frozen custard<\/strong> may be made from either cream, milk, or a combination of both.<\/p>\n While both ice cream and gelato may <\/em>contain eggs, custard is the only product which must<\/em> contain egg yolks.<\/p>\n When it comes to ice cream vs. gelato vs. custard, one major difference lies in the amount of air whipped into each product as it freezes.<\/p>\n Ice cream<\/strong> contains more air than either gelato or frozen custard, sometimes up to 100%–but never more than that. Frozen custard<\/strong> generally contains a bit less air content than gelato<\/strong>, which hovers around 30%, however these two products are about on par with one another in the overrun department.<\/p>\n As you might expect from having some different ingredients and air content, there are of course some key differences in how these three products hit you in the taste buds! American ice cream<\/strong> tends to be light, fluffy, and rich thanks to the inclusion of cream.<\/p>\n Gelato<\/strong> has a velvety texture due to its density, but it is lighter in flavor and more milky in taste as opposed to butterfat-laden. It also credits a bit of its rich flavor to the fact that it is served at a slightly warmer temperature as compared to the other frozen desserts. Frozen custard<\/strong> has a similarly thick consistency, but with a noticeably eggy flavor and emulsified texture.<\/p>\n These three frozen confections experience some differences in terms of where and how they are each consumed! It\u2019s no secret that ice cream<\/strong> is the standard American treat, although it is readily enjoyed in many other parts of the world as well. As an Italian classic, Gelato<\/strong> tends to be most popular across Europe, while frozen custard<\/strong> is a regional<\/em> favorite in some areas of the United States, namely New England and the Midwest.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also worth noting that ice cream<\/strong> is the only one of the three that you\u2019re likely to find packed and sold in the freezer section of a supermarket, whereas you can really only get gelato<\/strong> and frozen custard<\/strong> in their truest form from a gelateria or frozen custard stand.<\/p>\n Seeing as each of these products tends to come in a variety of delicious flavors, which may or may not dramatically alter the nutritional profile of the dessert itself, it\u2019s tough to give a blanket statement of one that is healthier than the other.<\/p>\n Generally speaking however, ice cream <\/strong>will contain more milk fat than either gelato or custard, while gelato<\/strong> will contain fewer calories. Frozen custard<\/strong> also tends to have more protein than the other two options thanks to the inclusion of those eggs!<\/p>\n Now that you’re an expert on the similarities and differences between ice cream, gelato, and frozen custard, it’s time to get out there and enjoy your newfound knowledge! Treat yourself to a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or get to work tracking down a traditional custard stand in your area or an authentic gelato shop at your next vacation spot.<\/p>\n Looking for some other frozen goodies in the meantime? Check out these 30 foods that taste even better frozen<\/u><\/a> or get cold and crafty with these 15 creative ways to use your ice cube trays<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You may already know of each of these dairy-based frozen desserts, but what\u2019s with the different names for three sweets<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":5286,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hellawella.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5281"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hellawella.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hellawella.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hellawella.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hellawella.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5281"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.hellawella.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5281\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5287,"href":"https:\/\/www.hellawella.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5281\/revisions\/5287"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hellawella.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5286"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hellawella.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5281"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hellawella.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5281"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hellawella.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
What is Gelato?<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hellawella.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/gelato-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCharacteristics of Gelato<\/h3>\n
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What is Custard?<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hellawella.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/frozen-custard.jpg\")
<\/p>\nFrozen Custard Specifics<\/h3>\n
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Key Differences Between Ice Cream, Gelato, and Custard<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hellawella.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/cones.jpg\")
<\/p>\nIngredients:<\/h3>\n
Air Content:<\/h3>\n
Taste & Texture:<\/h3>\n
Regionality:<\/h3>\n
Availability:<\/h3>\n
Nutritional Makeup:<\/h3>\n
A Few Other Frozen Treats Worth Noting<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hellawella.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/blueberry.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\n
Comparing Ice Cream vs. Gelato vs. Frozen Custard: The Takeaway<\/h2>\n