If you’ve ever been to Italy or dreamed of travelling there, chances are you’ve heard of gelato, the delightful icy treat. But what is gelato? Is it just a fancy name for ice cream? What it is, how it’s made, and what makes it so delightful. After studying some excellent resources, I discovered what makes gelato different from ice cream. Gelato contains less fat than ice cream. Ice cream’s main ingredient is cream, whereas gelato is made mainly from milk. Some gelato recipes use a small quantity of cream, and some use only milk. Gelato also usually uses less egg yolks than does custard-based ice cream, although that depends on the recipe. Fat coats the tongue in a lovely, silky way, but it also tends to mute flavors. Gelato’s lower fat content could explain why people tend to find its taste brighter and more intense. The flavors come through more directly then when they’re blended with heavy cream. Gelato has a denser texture than ice cream. Gelato is churned at a lower speed than ice cream, which means that the finished product contains less air than ice cream, creating the dense texture of gelato.