Gelato vs Sorbet: Difference and Comparison

Frozen desserts are unarguably almost everyone’s favourite. These desserts each have their own unique texture, taste, and flavour. They are associated with different places and different people.

Their production process also varies individually. Gelato and Sorbet are two popular frozen desserts. There are many differences between the two.

Key Takeaways

1. Gelato is an ice cream originating in Italy, while sorbet is a frozen dessert made from fruit juice or puree.
2. Gelato contains milk and a creamy texture, while sorbet is dairy-free and has a lighter, more granular texture.
3. Gelato is served slightly warmer than ice cream, while sorbet is served very cold.

Gelato vs Sorbet

The difference between Gelato and Sorbet is that Gelato is made with ingredients that include dairy products. Whereas, Sorbet does not include any dairy products. There are other differences between the two in terms of other aspects, including other ingredients used, origin, fat content, texture, and flavour.

Gelato refers to a very popular frozen dessert that originated in Italy. In terms of butterfat content, the range varies between 4% to 9%. However, it is lower than the others in the category of frozen desserts.

The flavour range for Gelato is very wide, similar to ice cream.

Sorbet refers to a frozen dessert commonly referred to as the ‘water ice’ or ‘Italian ice’ said to have originated in ancient Persia. This is made only from fruit juice and sweeteners.

This product also does not have dairy ingredients in it. This is why it is also a vegan dessert.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Gelato	Sorbet
Ingredients	The ingredients used are milk, cream, and sweetener.	The ingredients used are fruit puree or juice and sweetener. The sweetener is most commonly sugar or syrup.
Vegan	Dairy products are used for making this dessert and therefore it is not vegan.	Dairy products are not used in the dessert and therefore it is vegan.
Origin	It originated in Italy.	It originated in ancient Persia.
Fat content	Most commonly it has a fat content of approximately 4 to 9 percent.	As it does not include cream it is the frozen dessert with the lowest fat content.
Texture	It has a creamy texture that is thick and dense.	It has a light and icy texture.
Flavor	The flavor range for Gelato is very wide, similar to ice cream.	As it is made from fruit juice it has a limited range of flavors.

What is Gelato?

Gelato refers to a very popular frozen dessert that originated in Italy. In terms of butterfat content, the range varies between 4% to 9% and, in some cases, 10%. However, it is lower than the others in the category of frozen desserts.

What is fascinating is that it also has more flavour and less air (almost 70% less), making it more rich and dense than the other frozen desserts.

The credit for inventing this frozen dessert originally is given to Bernardo Buontalenti. However, the modern version was created by Francesco Procopio Dei Coltelli. Later on, different techniques were invented for easier gelato production.

Gelato was first automatically produced in the machine called ‘Motogelatiera.’ In the coming years, the invention of batch freezers helped in storing the Gelato. Today it is a worldwide favourite frozen dessert.

Gelato comes in a very wide variety of flavours. Some of the traditional ones include vanilla, almond, chocolate, pistachio, and so on. A few others have also gained popularity, like strawberries, raspberries, and so on.

The process consists of heating, pasteurization, mixing, and storing them in a freezer. In the sprint process, they are also mixed with milk or water.

What is Sorbet?

Sorbet refers to a frozen dessert that can be traced back to almost 3000 BC. It is said to have been invented by the ancient Persians. It is another popular worldly dessert commonly referred to as ‘water ice’ or ‘Italian ice.’

This is made only from fruit juice and sweeteners. This product also does not have dairy ingredients in it. This is why it is also a vegan dessert.

The word sorbet has many origins and has had many variations. Sorbetto is an old Italian word for sorbet. It also comes from the Persian word sharbat, derived from the Arabic word Sharia. Sorbetto later turned to Sorbet in French.

There are various myths and theories related to the origin of this dessert. Many of which include Egypt, Rome, and France. This dessert does not require any machine or ice cream maker.

As the name water ice suggests, it is just fruit juice mixed with sweetener. Therefore, preparation is easier than the others. 

However, there are some popular variations of sorbets available too. Red wine, oranges or lemons, certain spices, ruby port, and egg whites are used to make the Mulled wine sorbet.

Dessert wine, lemon juice, and egg whites are the ingredients used for making the Muscat sorbet.

Main Differences Between Gelato and Sorbetl

1. The ingredients used in Gelato are milk, cream, and sweetener. The ingredients used in Sorbet are fruit puree or juice and sweetener. The sweetener is most commonly sugar or syrup.
2. Dairy products are used for making Gelato desserts; therefore, they are not vegan. Dairy products are not used in Sorbet; therefore, they are vegan.
3. Gelato originated in Italy. Sorbet is considered to have originated in ancient Persia.
4. Most commonly, Gelato has a fat content of approximately 4 to 9 percent. As Sorbet does not include cream, it is the frozen dessert with the lowest fat content.
5. Gelato has a creamy texture that is thick and dense. Sorbet has a light and icy texture.
6. The flavour range for Gelato is very wide, similar to ice cream. Sorbet is made from fruit juice and has a limited range of flavours.

References

1. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&profile=ehost&scope=site&authtype=crawler&jrnl=20666845&AN=148251672&h=aif5VmhG%2FbvGgWl5N1i2znhuN9CEN1m6FzsSENoLvC4HXz22Bzn%2BrrVwL0ond6ARf6voBVJZmHtRsmRYJd7YYQ%3D%3D&crl=c
2. https://www.journal-of-agroalimentary.ro/admin/articole/56185L42_Oana-Viorela_Nistor_2020_26(4)_281-286.pdf