Have you ever tried an artisan Italian gelato next to an industrial ice cream and thought they tasted completely different? It’s not your imagination. They’re different products in terms of ingredients, production process and how they’re served, and this guide covers exactly what sets them apart, what makes a gelato good, and how to spot one when you see it.
What Is Italian Gelato
Gelato is a frozen dessert of Italian origin made with whole milk, sugar and fresh ingredients — fruit, nuts, chocolate, coffee, depending on the flavour. The word comes from the Italian verb gelare, to freeze. In Italy it refers to any kind of ice cream. Outside Italy, it has kept the narrower meaning: artisan gelato, made the traditional Italian way.
Its origins go back to ancient Rome, where mountain snow was mixed with honey and fruit. The modern version developed later, during the Italian Renaissance, and spread across Europe from the 17th century onwards.
Differences Between Gelato and Ice Cream
This is the question people ask most. The differences are real, and you can taste them:
- Base ingredients — Gelato is made with whole milk and little or no cream. Industrial ice cream uses much more cream, which raises its fat content.
- Fat content — Gelato has between 4% and 8% fat. Industrial ice cream can reach 15-20%.
- Air content — Gelato is churned slowly, incorporating less air (between 20% and 35% overrun). Industrial ice cream can incorporate up to 50% air, which makes it fluffier but less intense in flavour.
- Serving temperature — Gelato is served slightly warmer than ice cream (between -11°C and -8°C, versus -15°C or lower for industrial ice cream). This makes it softer and lets the flavours come through better on the palate.
- Density and texture — For all these reasons, gelato is denser, creamier and more compact than industrial ice cream. It isn’t “harder” — it’s more solid, but it melts faster in the mouth.
- Flavour intensity — Less air and less fat means the flavour of the ingredients (real fruit, nuts, chocolate) comes through more directly and intensely.
- Shelf life — Genuine artisan gelato doesn’t keep for weeks. It’s made in small batches and eaten fresh, usually within a few days.
Gelato vs Sorbetto: Another Important Distinction
Within the world of Italian gelato there’s a second distinction worth knowing: gelato and sorbetto (sorbet).
Gelato has a dairy base — whole milk, sometimes cream or eggs. It contains fat and milk proteins, which give it creaminess.
Sorbetto, on the other hand, is made with water, fruit, sugar and fruit juice. No milk, no cream, no eggs. Naturally dairy-free and vegan, with a lighter texture and a purer, more direct fruit flavour.
At Italian gelaterias — and at La Palau — you’ll find both. The creamy flavours (pistachio, stracciatella, tiramisù, vanilla) are gelato proper. The fruit ones (lemon, strawberry, mango, melon, passion fruit) are sorbetti. Both are made by hand, to the same quality standards.
How Artisan Gelato Is Made
Making artisan gelato follows four main steps:
1. Pasteurisation — The ingredients are heated to a high temperature to eliminate bacteria and ensure food safety.
2. Ageing — The pasteurised mix rests for 4 to 12 hours at a controlled temperature. During this time the ingredients bind together and the texture improves.
3. Churning — The mix goes into the batch freezer, a machine that churns and chills at the same time. The slow churn incorporates little air and crystallises the water in a controlled way, giving gelato its signature texture.
4. Hardening and storage — The finished gelato is kept in flat tubs (the ones you see in the display case) at a controlled temperature until it’s served.
La Palau’s gelato is made by Menodiciotto, an artisan workshop founded in Turin in 1986 by master gelato maker Luca Grassi, who follows this traditional process with natural ingredients and no preservatives. It arrives fresh in Barcelona every week.
How to Spot Quality Artisan Gelato
Not everything sold as “gelato” is artisan, or good. Here’s what to look for:
- Covered tubs — Genuine artisan gelato is kept covered in the display case, not piled up in the open air in exaggerated, colourful mountains. Tall, fluorescent-coloured mounds of ice cream are a sign of industrial product with too much air and colouring.
- Natural colours — Artisan pistachio is greyish-green, not neon green. Lemon is almost white, not bright yellow. Natural colours are a sign of real ingredients without added colouring.
- How it’s served — Quality artisan gelato is served with a paddle, not scooped into a round ball like industrial ice cream. The texture is denser and more pliable.
- The taste of the real thing — Strawberry gelato should taste like strawberries, not “strawberry flavour”. Pistachio should have a slight natural bitterness. If the flavour seems too perfect or artificial, something’s off.
- A short, well-made menu — A serious artisan gelateria doesn’t have 80 flavours that are all perfect. It has a curated selection with seasonal rotation. Too many flavours, all equally flawless, usually means industrial mixes.
The Most Popular Italian Gelato Flavours
Some flavours are classics of Italian gelato that you’ll find at any good gelateria:
- Pistachio — The king of artisan gelato. Made with quality Sicilian pistachios, it has an intense flavour with a slight natural bitterness. It’s the flavour that best tells a good gelateria apart from a mediocre one.
- Stracciatella — A fior di latte (fresh cream) base with shavings of dark chocolate. An Italian classic from the 1960s.
- Fior di latte — Just fresh milk and sugar. No flavourings. The purest gelato base there is.
- Tiramisù — With mascarpone, coffee and sponge cake. One of the favourites outside Italy.
- Lemon — Served as sorbetto. Artisan lemon is almost white and very tart — nothing like industrial lemon sorbets.
- Nocciola (hazelnut) — Made with Piedmont hazelnuts, with a toasted, intense flavour quite unlike any industrial hazelnut product.
- Salted caramel — A more recent flavour that has become very popular, with its characteristic balance of sweet and salty.
Where to Try Artisan Italian Gelato in Barcelona
At La Palau, at Carrer de Sant Pere Més Alt, 14 in El Born, we serve artisan gelato from Menodiciotto, a workshop founded in Turin in 1986 by master gelato maker Luca Grassi. It arrives fresh every week, made with natural ingredients and no preservatives.
Over 30 flavours in the display case, with seasonal rotation: Italian classics (pistachio, stracciatella, tiramisù, Madagascar vanilla), fruit flavours (lemon, strawberry, mango, melon, passion fruit) and gluten-free, vegan and lactose-free options.
We’re open every day from 12:30 to 23:30, right across from the Palau de la Música Catalana.
Check all our available flavours on our menu or drop by directly — we’re in El Born.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does gelato mean?
Gelato comes from the Italian verb gelare (to freeze) and literally means “ice cream” in Italian. Outside Italy, it has come to refer specifically to artisan ice cream made using traditional Italian methods.
Is gelato healthier than ice cream?
Gelato has less fat than industrial ice cream (4-8% versus 15-20%) because it uses milk rather than cream as its base. It also incorporates less air, which makes it denser and more filling. In that sense it can be considered lighter, though it’s still a dessert with sugar.
Does gelato contain egg?
It depends on the flavour. Classic creamy gelatos like crema all’uovo or zabaione use egg yolk. Fruit sorbets don’t contain egg. Modern flavours like pistachio or stracciatella usually don’t either.
Why does gelato taste stronger than ice cream?
Because it has less air and less fat. Fat coats the taste buds and dulls flavour. With less fat and less air, the flavour of the ingredients reaches the palate more directly and intensely.
Is gelato gluten-free?
Most artisan gelato flavours are gluten-free, especially the fruit ones and the basic creamy ones. Those with biscuit, wafer or sponge cake (Cookies, Oreo, Tiramisù) contain gluten. At La Palau, over 60 flavours are certified gluten-free by Menodiciotto.
Where can I try artisan Italian gelato in Barcelona?
At La Palau, Carrer de Sant Pere Més Alt, 14, El Born, Barcelona. Right across from the Palau de la Música Catalana. Open every day from 12:30 to 23:30.