Gelato

Gelato is dense, slow-churned Italian ice cream made with more milk than cream and far less air beaten in than its American cousin. It's served softer and noticeably warmer than a standard scoop — a proper gelato case runs several degrees warmer than a freezer, which is exactly what keeps it soft enough to shape into that signature swirl.

What it actually is

A base of milk, a smaller share of cream, sugar and sometimes egg yolk is cooked gently, cooled, and churned at a slower speed than industrial ice cream — the slow churn beats in far less air, which is why gelato tastes denser and more intensely flavoured spoon for spoon than ice cream, even at the same fat content.

Milk-based fruit and nut flavours skip the egg yolk entirely; the custard base with yolk is reserved mainly for cream-forward flavours like crema or chocolate. Either way, it's served straight from a shallow tub at a soft, spreadable texture, never rock-hard.

How it's served

• Scooped or spread into a cone or cup, shaped into a peak with a flat spatula rather than a round scoop.
• At a soft, spreadable temperature, warmer than typical ice cream.
• In small flights of two or three flavours, common in a gelateria.

Writing it on a menu

• Flag dairy, and egg if the base is a custard style.
• Say if a dairy-free or vegan flavour is available, since fruit sorbet-style gelato often already is.
• Name the flavour list clearly; guests choosing gelato are usually choosing between several at once.
• Note if it's made in-house, since a genuinely churned gelato is a real point of craft distinct from a tub bought in.