Gelato vs. Ice Cream: What’s the Difference?
When it comes to frozen treats, most people think of ice cream first. Gelato, however, has a history and character all its own. Originating in Italy during the Renaissance, gelato was celebrated for its smooth, dense texture and intense flavors. Over centuries, it has remained a beloved part of Italian food culture, and today you can find it across the globe, from coffee shops and grocery stores to right here at the Kilgus Farmstead Country Store.
Key Differences Between Gelato, Ice Cream (hard-pack), and Soft Serve
While both start with the same simple base of milk, cream, and sugar, the way gelato is crafted is where they differ:
- Lower fat, richer flavor: Gelato is made with more milk and less cream than traditional hard-pack ice cream, which means lower butterfat overall, although it still has more butterfat than soft serve. This allows flavors like chocolate, fruit, or nut to shine more intensely.
- Slow churn, dense texture: Gelato is churned more slowly, introducing less air. The result is a smooth, velvety texture that feels richer without being heavy. For comparison, gelato typically has up to 30% air, hard-pack ice cream up to 50%, and soft serve as much as 70%!
- Served warmer, tastes brighter: Gelato is served a bit warmer than hard-pack ice cream but colder than soft-serve, enhancing both the creaminess and flavor. Colder temperatures tend to dull taste bud receptors and therefore make the flavor less intense.
Gelato’s Refreshing Sidekick: Sorbetto
Another Italian classic, sorbetto is often mistaken for sorbet, but the two are not the same. Sorbetto traces directly back to Italy and shares a close heritage with gelato. Made simply from fruit, water, and sugar (sometimes with non-dairy alternatives), sorbetto is naturally dairy-free yet still smooth and velvety in texture. By contrast, sorbet is usually just fruit juice, water, and sugar, which tends to make it icier.
At Kilgus Farmstead, we often craft a seasonal sorbetto to offer a refreshing option for guests who prefer dairy-free. With its bright fruit flavors and clean finish, sorbetto is a perfect complement to our creamy gelato lineup.
Why Choose Gelato? Treat Yourself!
At Kilgus Farmstead, our gelato is made in small batches using pasteurized, non-homogenized Jersey milk and cream directly from our farm. This gives it a naturally rich, wholesome flavor while staying true to our farm-to-table values. With a lower fat content and more intense flavors, gelato is a treat that feels both indulgent and refreshing.
We make a rotating variety of gelato flavors in-house, from classics like Berry the Tractor (chocolate-covered strawberry) and Dirt Road (Oreo cookie) to seasonal specialties such as Pumpkin Patch (pumpkin). And for those who prefer something dairy-free, we also keep a seasonal sorbetto or two on the menu, which is just as refreshing.
Quarts and pints of our gelato are available at select retailers throughout central Illinois, or you can visit our Country Store in Fairbury to enjoy gelato (and sorbetto) by the scoop in a cone or dish — or take home a pint or quart to go!
🍨 Find our gelato by the pint or quart at select retailers, or stop by the Country Store for scoops of gelato or sorbetto.
🍦Prefer a classic treat? Our soft serve is always on tap and crafted from the same Kilgus Jersey milk you know and love.