Everything You Need to Know About Authentic Italian Gelato
Last Updated on 19th August 2023 by Sophie Nadeau
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Gelato is one of those Italian sweets that is a must-try while travelling in Italy. Literally meaning ‘frozen’ in English, this traditional frozen milk dessert is obviously one of the most popular desserts in the boot-shaped country. But how do you know that what you’re about to buy is the real deal? Well, in this article, we’re going to break down everything you need to know about authentic Italian gelato.
The history of gelato probably dates back to 16th-century Florence, when a chef developed a brand new way of keeping his desserts cold.
As is often the case with these kinds of things, historians are in disagreement as to who actually invented gelato, but a popular theory is that it was Florentine chef Bernardo Buontalenti.
Other people claim that the frozen sweet was invented by Sicilian born Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli (who was one of the first people to sell gelato to the public).
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What is the difference between ice cream and gelato?
Ice cream is made with cream whereas gelato is made with milk. This also means that gelato melts faster than ice cream (no, it’s not just because the summer temperatures in Italy are hotter than what you’re used to back home)!
As a result of its ingredients, gelato actually has a lower fat content than ice cream. However, you should note that there’s typically a lot more sugar in a gelato than an ice cream!
When is the best time to eat gelato?
Now, if you know anything about Italian coffee culture, then you’ll probably know that it’s seen as a bit strange to order a cappuccino after midday. Luckily, this is not the case with gelatos!
Indeed, gelaterias are often open until 10 PM and you’ll often see couples strolling around the streets of various cities as the sun goes down eating gelato! Indeed the only ‘rule’ in eating gelato is that it’s seen more of a ‘snack food’ and so is eaten away from the table and at different times to meals.
Many people claim that the best time to eat gelato is in the late afternoon or early evening but that’s just personal preference. There is also no time of the year when you can order and eat gelato so, even in the winter, feel free to order your favourite scoop!
How is gelato served?
Gelato is typically bought from a Gelateria (Gelato shop- plural gelaterie) and is either served in a cornet or in a cup. Typically, the prices for buying either of these are fairly comparable so you won’t save any money whether you opt for the cone or the cup.
Traditional gelato should not be served with an ice cream scoop! Instead, it is served by using a spatula, known as spatola in Italian.
This is why you will see people kind of ‘pasting’ the gelato onto the cone or into the cup. In the most traditional of places, there should be a spatula per flavour of ice cream sold and served.
This also means that when you’re ordering, you’re not ordering by number of scoops that will fit in the cup/ cone but by the number of flavours. You can order by the number of flavours (gusti), though some places will have a maximum you can add by portion size.
The more flavours you get, the smaller amount you’ll get of each one. You can also ask the server if the gelato flavours pair well together. Italians ask if the ‘flavours marry well together’: “questi gusti si sposano bene?”
How to tell if gelato is authentic
If you’ve spent any time on social media recently, you’ll know that there is plenty of controversy over what constitutes as authentic Italian gelato. Here are some of the best indicators as to whether or not the gelato you’re about to order is the real traditional sweet stuff:
Make sure that the gelato is flat
When you’re looking at the gelato, it shouldn’t be piled up in a mound. This look is achieved not only to draw in tourists, but also to sell you less product!
You see, the gelato is whipped up with air in the morning to create the gelato mound appearance but if you buy it, you’re obviously going to be purchasing less product.
Authentic gelato should be denser than ice cream and will be flat in its container. It’s sometimes even stored with a lid on it. Avoid any gelato ‘mountains’ which go above the rim of the tub in which they’re being stored.
The colour of specific flavours shouldn’t be too bright
Another tell-tale sign that the gelato you’re about to purchase isn’t very authentic and is full of artificial colours and/ or flavours is the colour.
Bright/ vibrant colours are not par for the course in natural gelato and so specific flavours you should be wary of include banana (it should be off-white and not bright yellow), lavender (this should be off-white and not purple), and pistachio (which should be a dull green/ brown and not a bright green).
Another flavour which often trips people up is mint, including mint chocolate. As mint gelato is made with extract of mint, it should be an off-white/ very pale green colour and not green (as most are!).
Avoid shops which sell any kind of brightly flavoured gelato (particularly bright blue) as this means that even the other flavours of gelato are probably also full of artificial colours and are more industrial. The best gelato is made without preservatives and so tends to have a short shelf life.
If there’s just one thing you should take away from this article, it’s if you want to try an authentic, traditional, and homemade gelato, you should avoid gelato stores with lots of flavours on the menu.
If there are too many flavours on the menu, then they cannot possibly all be produced onsite and so are probably industrial.
Italian gelato flavours
Obviously, there is a huge number of flavours to choose from and so deciding which ones to pick, or indeed which ones actually go together, can be a tricky decision! You might also be asked if you want your gelato ‘con panna,’ which means a dollop of cream on the top.
Some of the most traditional gelato flavours include Stracciatella (vanilla gelato with crunchy chocolate pieces), cream, vanilla, hazelnut, chocolate, tiramisu, and yoghurt. Newer but equally as popular flavours include peach, raspberry, strawberry, lemon, amarena cherries, mango, pineapple, and banana.
Variations of gelato
The majority of gelaterie will have more than just the standard gelato variety on offer. They might also sell an affogato. This is not actually a flavour of gelato but rather a way of serving it.
If you’re looking for a little caffeine pick me up, then an “affogato” is typically a scoop of vanilla gelato served with a shot of coffee poured on top!
Other popular variations of Italian gelato include granita (this is shaved ice and is particularly popular in the summer- it’s also often vegan but do check in advance) and semifreddo, a type of mousse fluffy gelato.
