You might be wondering, what is the difference between gelato and ice cream? Well, let us here at Black Dog Gelato give you the scoop! Well technically gelato isn’t scooped, it’s served with a spade.

Gelato is the Italian word for ice cream but the two do have some differences. Gelato and ice cream are similar in that they both are made with cream, milk, sugar, and eggs (our gelato is made with eggs, not all gelato is). However, gelato uses more milk and less cream than ice cream.

Gelato is creamier, smoother, and silkier, as well as denser and more elastic than ice cream. In the gelato making process, less air is incorporated while churning, which is how gelato achieves its creamy texture with less fat than traditional American style ice cream.

Another difference is the serving temperature. Gelato is served warmer than ice cream, around 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit warmer, which leaves your mouth less numb so you are better able to taste the intense flavors. This is important to us because we create modern and intriguing gelato flavors and want you to really taste them.

We create our gelato using a Northern-style base which is known for being creamy, rich, and tasty. All of our flavors begin with our custom base which is flavored and matured for 24 hours. The liquid bases are then delivered to our two gelato shops, West Loop and Ukrainian Village, for spinning. Once spun, our gelato and sorbets are placed in gelato pans and put in our case ready to be served and eaten!

And just in case you were wondering what sorbet is…

Sorbet, also know as sorbetto in Italian is a dairy and egg-free frozen dessert. When making sorbet, very little air is incorporated during the churning process. Traditionally, sorbets are made with fruits, juices, sugar, and wine or other alcohols. At Black Dog Gelato, we even make a Chocolate Sorbet for anyone who is vegan or who wants to enjoy classic chocolate gelato dairy-free.