THE PRODUCTION PROCESS THEY FOLLOW
While the ingredients in ice cream and gelato are quite similar, so too is their production process. Both sweet treats are produced using a churning process, but it’s the speed and timing that sets them apart. When it comes to creating ice cream, the mixture is frozen in the churns and continually whisked together using paddles. The fast and continuous stirring motion lovingly whips in air to keep the ice crystals small, creating the smooth, creamy mixture that is loved and enjoyed by consumers. “Ice crystals are ice creams worst enemy as they create a gritty texture and make for a poor-quality scoop. We spend a lot of time ensuring our ice creams are whipped to perfection and blast frozen quickly to keep any ice at bay” Alan commented.
During this process the ice cream mixture typically increases in volume between 25% to 90%. For gelato, the steps are similar, but less air is churned throughout the freezing process. On average, gelato has 50% less air circulated throughout due to a slower churn rate, which helps create an intense flavour and smoother, silkier texture.
While it is common for smaller boutiques to create their ice cream and gelato offering with batch machines, larger manufacturers follow tighter production processes to ensure a consistent scoop in each tub. “We’ve spent 60 years perfecting the way we make our products. For us it’s all made in the same equipment, just with a different technique, which we’ve refined over time.” Alan said.
“What you find is that a lot of the little boutique gelatos are made in small batch machines where the mix is tipped in and then churned. They then need to be eaten pretty quickly, or the quality degrades over time” he said. “But on a larger scale, most places use a continuous churn which allows the product to be packaged, transported frozen and last longer.”
