WhAT IS GELATO?

 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GELATO AND ICE CREAM

Gelato is simply the translation of ‘ice cream’ in Italian, but also refers to a quintessentially Italian form of ice cream, which is why here at Joe Delucci’s we refer to our products as gelato, because it’s produced and shipped to us directly from our factories in Italy. You can expect a more luxury experience when you purchase gelato when compared to regular ice cream, with the Italian variant typically having three special features that make it stand out from the crowd:

Firstly, gelato generally contains between six and nine per cent of butterfat, which is the fatty component of milk. Typically, other ice cream products will contain a far higher percentage of this ingredient, and in this case more doesn’t equal better! More butterfat means more trans fats, which is generally agreed to be bad for your health, making gelato the far healthier option when compared to ice cream!

Secondly, gelato has much less air whipped into it during the production process when compared to ice cream as it is churned at a much slower speed, which creates a product that is far more concentrated, creamy and smooth. In fact, regular ice cream is approximately 50 per cent air (yes, you’re eating half a scoop of air when you consume your desserts!) whereas gelato’s rich texture contains an average of only 35 per cent. This is akin to whipping cream by hand versus with an electric whisk, with gelato being the equivalent of the hand-whipped, hand-crafted product. What’s more, the density of gelato leaves your customers feeling full from smaller portions, albeit not in a way that feels too stodgy or dense.

Lastly, when compared to ice cream, gelato contains more flavouring – in the case of Joe Delucci’s products, we don’t include any artificial colours of flavours, so you can be rest assured that you’re not just getting more flavour: you’re getting more quality ingredients per bite than your average ice cream.

BEST-SELLING GELATO FLAVOURS

At Joe Delucci’s, we have an abundance of gelato options to choose from – but which ones are most popular with the general public?

According to a study by Deliveroo based upon their best selling gelato flavours, it seems as if the Brits have quite different gelato preferences when compared to the Italians! Brits’ flavour of choice is no other than basic cream gelato, which makes the perfect accompaniment to a variety of sweet treats, or simply on its own! In second place is chocolate, followed by strawberry, making the top three ice-cream flavours for Brits a Neapolitan triad! It’s also evident that British consumers like more niche flavours such as coffee, banana and coconut gelato.

However, if you set foot in Italy, expect to see Italians consuming flavours such as Pistachio, Hazelnut, and Stracciatella (a plain cream flavoured gelato filled with chocolate shavings), which are the three most popular flavours according to the same Deliveroo survey.

Whether you’re looking to create an authentic Italian experience with an abundance of unique flavours, or simply appeal to local British tastes, Joe Delucci’s have a flavour list that will leave you spoiled for choice. With egg-free, dairy-free and gluten-free options, as well as flavours suitable for vegetarian and vegan consumers, there is a gelato for everyone!