The world’s love affair with icy delights is centuries old. The earliest evidence of frozen dessert can be traced back to ancient China, where people consumed ice flavored with various syrups and extracts. During China’s Tang period (which lasted from the early 600s to early 900s A.D.) the original purveyors of pseudo-ice cream heated buffalo, cow, and goat milk and fermented the stuff into a yogurt. Then, they would thicken it with flour, flavor it with wood extract, and chill it before serving.
A few hundred years later, the practice made its way to Italy and morphed into sorbet and gelato. There are many different stories as to how these transformations actually happened, though none have been officially confirmed. Some say Marco Polo played a hand, while others point to Florentine stage designer Bernardo Buontalenti as being the alleged inventor of gelato. Regardless of who was responsible, one thing we can all agree on is that frozen desserts take many forms, and they’re all tasty.
That said, what are the actual differences between ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and Italian ice other than their origins? We’re here to dish up the inside scoop — pun intended — on some of the most popular frozen desserts out there.
Don't Miss A DropGet the latest in beer, wine, and co*cktail culture sent straight to your inbox.
What Is Ice Cream?
The main component that defines ice cream is its inclusion of eggs. Traditionally, it contains a custard base of eggs, milk, cream, and sugar that’s frozen and then rapidly churned to infuse air into the mixture. This churning process happens at such a rate that detectable ice crystals are not present in the final product.
In addition to sugar, ice cream manufacturers add hundreds of different flavors and sweeteners, from fruit to cocoa to vanilla. Overall, ice cream has a higher fat content than gelato or sorbet, and it’s usually served at colder temperatures, giving it a thicker texture.
What Is Gelato?
There are exceptions to the rule, but unlike ice cream, gelato almost never contains eggs. It does, however, contain milk, cream, and sugar — just in different proportions. Gelato also has less cream in its base than ice cream, but it includes more milk and sugar.
That said, gelato’s ingredients alone aren’t what make it so dense, rich, and smooth. Its silky texture is due in large part to its slow rate of churning, which incorporates less air into the final product. Gelato is also served at higher temperatures than ice cream, making it both creamier and more nuanced in flavor. You’ll find this treat all over Italy, in flavors from pistachio to coffee to lemon.
What Is Sorbet?
Sorbet, which is essentially a variation on Italian granita, does not contain any dairy products. Its composition is simple: water, sugar, and a flavoring agent (typically fruit purée or fruit juice). Its smooth consistency comes mainly from its churning process, which is near-identical to that of ice cream. Sometimes, producers will even put alcohol into sorbet to give it a smoother texture, due to alcohol’s low freezing point. Compared to its sibling Italian ice, sorbet is much richer and packs roughly twice the calories. That said, both sorbet and Italian ice are low in fat, given that no dairy is in the mix.
What Is Italian Ice?
Despite its name, Italian ice is an American invention, created by Italian immigrants in the early 20th century. Italian ice contains water, sugar, fruit purées or juices, and sometimes natural or artificial flavoring. The key difference between sorbet and Italian ice is the ice itself: The latter contains larger chunks and is churned at a slightly slower rate than sorbet, giving it a more grainy, slightly crunchy texture. Italian ice is less dense than sorbet, which explains its lower calorie count — there’s simply more ice in it.
Water ice is another form of Italian ice, native to the Philadelphia area. It’s slightly chunkier than standard Italian ice, but it’s more or less the same thing — unless you ask someone from Philly.
FAQs
Ice cream and gelato are much more closely related than sorbet and gelato or ice cream. While gelato and ice cream are both creamy, dairy-based desserts, sorbet is completely dairy-free. This is a common question – does gelato have dairy. The answer is yes.
What is the difference between gelato and ice cream and sorbet? ›
What's the difference in fat content? Ice cream typically contains at least 10% fat, while gelato has between 4-8%. Sherbet has a low fat conect at 1-2%, and sorbet has none.
What is the difference between sorbet and Italian ice? ›
Granita (aka Italian Ice)
Granitas have ingredients that are identical to sorbet—pureed fruit (or juice), sugar, and water—but they differ in texture. Unlike sorbet, which is smooth-churned, granita is scraped repeatedly during the freezing process, loosening its structure into icy flakes.
What is the difference between Italian ice and gelato? ›
The biggest difference between Italian ice and gelato or ice cream is dairy and eggs. While Italian ice is dairy free, gelato and ice cream both get their creamy texture from the high whole milk and cream content. Custard versions of both ice cream and gelato may also contains eggs.
What are the 3 differences between gelato and ice cream? ›
The main differences between ice cream and gelato
Gelato contains less milk fat than ice cream, is churned at a slower rate, and is typically served at a warmer temperature, introducing less air to the dessert and yielding a softer and denser texture.
Is Italian ice healthier than ice cream? ›
The Healthy Alternative
Probably the most important difference between Italian Ice products like Gelu and ice cream is that it's dairy-free, gluten-free, cholesterol-free, and fat-free. The lack of gluten, fat, and cholesterol makes Gelu a healthier choice for dessert than ice cream products.
Is sorbet the same as sherbet? ›
The major difference between the two is that sherbet is made with dairy and sorbet isn't. Sherbet has more of a creamy texture that you'd expect from ice cream thanks to ingredients like milk, heavy cream, or buttermilk in the mix. Sorbet, on the other hand, is simply sugar and fruit.
Is sorbet healthier than ice cream? ›
Not only is sorbet a healthier alternative to ice cream, but it is also a dessert that can be enjoyed guilt-free. With no eggs or cream present in the recipe, sorbet contains fewer calories and less fat compared to traditional ice cream.
Which is healthier, gelato or ice cream? ›
The main difference between ice cream and gelato is their fat content. With only 4-9% fat to the usual 10-25% of ice cream, gelato usually is lighter and healthier. Per portion, however, the answer is clear, gelato is typically healthier than ice cream.
What makes gelato taste better than ice cream? ›
Because there's less butterfat coating your palate, gelato's flavors tend to taste more intense. Gelato also contains less air than American ice cream — that helps keep it dense, fluid and creamy.
Talenti gelato is particularly special because we make it from scratch with the finest ingredients from around the world, and use an old world process that involves slow cooking our ingredients and making our gelato in smaller batches than most other ice cream in the US is made.
What is a sorbet made of? ›
Sorbet is a non-dairy frozen dessert made from puréed fruit or fruit juice mixed with water and sugar. It should be made up of very fine grains, and contain no large crystals of ice. In some countries, a small amount of milk might be added to sorbet, but this is not the case in the UK.
Why is gelato more expensive than ice cream? ›
Because gelato is filled with less air than ice cream, it contains more actual ingredients per serving, hence it's often more expensive. Does gelato contain eggs? Some gelatos may contain egg or egg yolks, as traditional recipes were made using eggs, but today most gelato is entirely milk-based.
Does sorbet have alcohol? ›
Like granitas and other ices, sorbet can be made without an ice cream maker. Alcohol, honey or corn syrup can be added to lower the freezing point and make softer sorbets. Sorbet is usually made with fresh fruit and simple syrup, but other types of preparations exist.
Which is healthier, sorbet or sherbet? ›
On the flipside nutritionally, sherbet and sherbert will have more nutrients (even if more saturated fat) than sorbet. "Sherbet generally has some addition of dairy, though less than ice cream, and therefore, it will have more protein and minerals like calcium than sorbet," she says.
Does sorbet have milk? ›
A sorbet does not contain any dairy products and is more acidic, which results in tart flavors. Another difference between sorbet and ice cream is it is a sweet alternative for those with non-dairy* dietary needs or lifestyle preferences.
What is sorbet made of? ›
Sorbet is a non-dairy frozen dessert made from puréed fruit or fruit juice mixed with water and sugar. It should be made up of very fine grains, and contain no large crystals of ice. In some countries, a small amount of milk might be added to sorbet, but this is not the case in the UK.
