With Summer time madness already stirring in the city, it's only time before all of New York is lining up at their favorite ice cream shops to cool their heels on something flavorful and ridiculously delicious. But when it comes to savoring the sweetest, chillest desserts there are, how does one make up their mind on what cold confection to choose? From classic scoops of ice cream, gelato, and sorbet, there are countless options, each sweeter than the next. So how do you know the difference between each, today we’re breaking it down for you!
AMERICAN ICE CREAM
Just as its name hints, ice cream is a frozen dessert made mostly up of cream, with the addition of milk and other flavoring and sweeteners. However, did you know that 60% of ice cream’s volume is made predominately of just air! This is referred to as the ‘whipping process’ in which the cream is given that light and fluffy quality. From here, ice creams are then further broken down into subcategories, characterized by the amount of butterfat that they contain. With all the choices of artisanal ice cream, it's hard to choose a single favorite but BonAppetit has rounded up some of their favorites around the country for you to taste test on your own.
GELATO
The Italian word for ice cream, Gelato is just as delicious as its ice cream cousin, however a little heavier in its base materials, which includes eggs yolks. Also referred to as glace, the biggest difference between these icey options is that while ice cream contains 60% of air, gelato houses more like 20% of air; resulting in a thicker, more intensely flavored confection. Pop by our Mariebelle Store (in Soho) or Cacao Market Shop (in Greenpoint) and indulge yourself in refreshing flavors available in lavender, rose petal, and even matcha green tea (just to name a few).
SORBET
Just as cool but a tad more fruity, Sorbet is the most common frozen dessert made entirely from fruit puree (no dairy products) with the addition of the flavored spices and herbs and then fully whipped for that extra light texture. This too-cool-to-not-instagram photograph was captured by @FoodBySSSourabh showcasing our fruit-tastic Mango Sorbet, available in our Mariebelle Store in Soho.
SHERBET
Almost identical to Sorbet but with the addition of milk for creaminess, sherbet (by law) can not contain more than 2% butterfat. Although we don't typically sell sherbet, here's a great recipe for watermelon and lime sorbet that we have to say, looks quite refreshing (via cincyshopper.com).
GRANITAS