Ice cream, gelato, sorbet, frozen yogurt: What's the difference
The summer season is going on in full swing with the mercury levels soaring by the day. But thank heavens for some cool treats like ice creams, gelatos, sorbets, and frozen yogurts, taking a 'chill' pill this hot season couldn't get more flavorsome. While many believe these offerings are the same, they are actually quite different from each other. Here's how.
Culinary technique
Ice cream is churned at high speeds and is served at the coldest temperature. Gelato, which is similar to ice cream, is churned at lower speeds but is served at temperatures higher than ice cream. Sorbet is scraped often during freezing to make it icy, while frozen yogurt is made by heating milk and sugar and then adding active bacterial cultures.
Ingredients
Ingredients used in ice cream are usually milk, sweeteners, and egg yolks (often). Gelato has lesser cream and a higher proportion of milk than ice cream, and usually no egg yolk. Sorbet is vegan and uses fresh fruits, while frozen yogurt has active bacterial cultures, sugar, fruits, vegetable oil (in most cases), and cultured milk.
Texture
Ice cream's texture is fluffy and creamy. It has lots of air bubbles and can also be served in a style called soft serve. Gelato, on the other hand, has a thick and dense texture, and fewer air bubbles in it. Sorbet has an icier texture than most other chilled treats, whereas frozen yogurt, just like ice cream, is fluffy but less creamy.
Fat content
Ice cream has the highest fat content, about 14% to 25% because it has more cream and less milk. Since gelato has lesser cream, it contains less fat. There's only four to nine percent butterfat present in it. When it comes to sorbet, it is the most low-fat offering among all, while frozen yogurt has less butterfat than ice cream but more than gelato.
