Italian Gelato – with a Danish twist
Here you can read more about what defines Italian gelato, and how we have made gelato, which is a cream-based ice cream, entirely our own Let us take a closer look at what makes Italian gelato so special, and why this delicious cold dessert has seduced palates and hearts since its Italian birth. Think of it as a gastronomic journey as we explore its distinctive background, its unique production process and how the different flavours are paired with the unique textures that define this culinary gem.
The origins of gelato and ice cream
It is said that ice cream was invented or discovered in China around 4,000 years ago, and it resembled what we would today describe as a simple sorbet, where honey or fruit syrups, for example, were added to a cold snow drink or dessert. History tells us that Alexander the Great and the Greeks, as well as the Romans later on, also used similar methods, gathering snow and ice in the mountains and bringing it down to be used for similar purposes.
However, it is said that it was not until 1290, when Marco Polo returned from his travels in Asia with recipes for ice cream, some of which even included milk. The first book and the scientific method used to make ice cream thus date from several hundred years later, when in 1690 a clever method for freezing and chilling ice cream, sorbet and many other things was presented. This is also where the first European cream-based ice creams are believed to originate. And with them, the first Italian cream-based ice creams, or Italian gelato. You can read much more about the history of ice cream and sorbet right here.
What makes gelato distinctive
Although gelato and ice cream may seem almost identical, there are small but important differences in composition and processing. Gelato is distinguished by a higher proportion of milk and a lower proportion of cream and eggs (or no eggs at all), which gives a less fatty mixture than ordinary ice cream.
Furthermore, what characterises Italian gelato is the far slower, gentler churning process in the machine, where the ice cream is stirred or mixed softly around and kneaded into a smooth mass. This ensures gelato's lower air content, resulting in a denser and creamier consistency that is sure to awaken the senses.
Similarities with Kastbergs ice cream and sorbet
Our ice cream and sorbet are made with a great deal of inspiration from Italian gelato. Our cream-based ice cream is likewise made with milk and cream, but entirely without eggs, just as described for gelato above.
In addition, we use so-called “batch” ice cream machines, which are characterised by making only a certain quantity at a time, typically smaller portions. In our machines we fill 25 litres of ice cream or sorbet base at a time. The base is slowly frozen while a three-armed paddle inside the machine turns around, scrapes the ice cream off the cylindrical machine wall and then gently kneads it into a soft, creamy mass. This happens without artificially adding air to the ice cream. The only air in the ice cream is what naturally comes in through the machine's intake and is naturally worked into the ice cream during the churning process. In this way, just as described above for Italian gelato, we achieve a low air content and a very creamy consistency, which is not possible with ice cream production using the “continuous freezing” method. This is typically a method used in mass production, where as much ice cream as possible has to be produced as quickly as possible.
Kastbergs thus makes ice cream and sorbet with strong inspiration from Italian gelato, but with the addition of good Danish craftsmanship, some of our own techniques and methods and, of course, primarily local Danish ingredients.