The Key Differences Between Ice Cream, Gelato, Sorbet, Sherbet, and More (2024)

FAQs

The Key Differences Between Ice Cream, Gelato, Sorbet, Sherbet, and More? ›

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.

Sherbet contains dairy while sorbet has no dairy. Sherbet (not “sherbert” as it's often mispronounced) incorporates a small amount of dairy, such as milk, cream or buttermilk, which give scoops a richer, creamier consistency as with this Raspberry Buttermilk Sherbet recipe (pictured above).

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.

Gelato is more smooth and creamy than ice cream because it is denser-- it contains less cream and more milk -- is turned more slowly, and is served at higher temperatures.

By now, you know that gelato traditionally uses milk and cream as its main ingredients, and that sorbet primarily contains fruit juice or fruit purée and does not use dairy products or eggs.

"Gelato" means "ice cream" in Italian, but the two are not the same. While gelato has a custard base like its American cousin, it has less milkfat (4 to 9%) and less air churned into it during freezing, which makes its texture denser.

The Healthiest Choice

Gelato has more calories and fats, which makes people feel satisfied in smaller portion servings. On the other hand, sorbet does not contain fats, but have lesser calories, making you want to eat more.

So, the good news here is that if you're looking for an iced dessert or treat that has similar properties to ice cream but is lower in calories and saturated fat, sherbet is going to be preferable over ice cream as a more diet friendly alternative.

Gelato is the Italian word for ice cream. It starts out with a similar custard base as ice cream, but has a higher proportion of milk and a lower proportion of cream and eggs (or no eggs at all). It is churned at a much slower rate, incorporating less air and leaving the gelato denser than ice cream.

What's the difference between sorbet and sorbetto? ›

Sorbetto is also called sorbet. Sorbet is frozen blend of fruit, water, and sugar, (sometimes wine or liquor) and it's one of the oldest and most traditional ways of making dessert.

Unlike ice cream or sorbet, which are whipped while freezing to prevent ice crystal formation, an ice pop is frozen while at rest, becoming a solid block of ice. The stick is used as a handle to hold it. Without a stick, the frozen product would be a freezie. A cucumber, elderflower and mint ice pop.

Sherbet is prepared in an analogous way to sorbet but includes subtle touches of dairy, usually milk, cream, or buttercream. The ratio of dairy in sherbet is much less than in ice cream or gelato, while sorbet is dairy-free.

Lactose is a naturally occurring sugar and the major carbohydrate in milk. Both ice cream and gelato contain lactose at about 3-6 grams/125 ml serving. [1] Overall, gelato has more added sugar than ice cream resulting in higher carbohydrate content compared to ice cream.

Authentic gelato uses more milk and less cream than ice cream and generally doesn't use egg yolks. Gelato tends to use about 3.5% butterfat, is slow churned and uses a looot of sugar to get that creamy consistency again.

Gelato typically contains 35% air (substantially less than American-style ice cream) and more flavoring than other types of frozen desserts, giving it a density and richness that distinguishes it from other ice creams.

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.

Both are derived from the Turkish and Persian words şerbet and sharbat respectively. In turn, they are ultimately derived from the Arabic word for 'drink', sharba. The difference appears to be an American distinction between an ice that has a small amount of dairy (sherbet) and one that has none (sorbet).

Making Sherbet

Common sherbet flavors include orange, raspberry, lemon, and lime. There's also a variation called rainbow sherbet, which is made by combining layers of raspberry, lime, and orange sherbet.