PLACES Gelateria Dedè

Anna Maria, second from the right with her team of friendly assistants

Last month we met Anna Maria, owner and creator of the Algarve's newest Gelateria Dedè. Originally from Neptune, a small town near Rome, Anna Maria along with her partner Ernesto opened their Italian restaurant (featured in last month's issue) two years ago. When the unit next door to the restaurant became available, she took the opportunity to fulfil her dream of having her own Italian ice-cream shop. Whether it is a hot summer day or the holiday season, ice cream and gelato are well-loved frozen desserts enjoyed by people of any age (although some consider gelato to be the "grown-up" version of ice cream). The two look and taste similar, but are they actually the same? Taking into account gelato is the Italian word for ice cream, you would think so, but there are actually a few differences between the two. From the ratio of milk to cream, to how the mixture is churned, to the flavors and textures, there are specific distinctions between ice cream and gelato.

The Ingredients

Two of the main ingredients in both ice cream and gelato are milk and cream, but it is the amount of each that results in differing desserts. As the name implies, "ice cream" contains more cream than milk, whereas gelato is made with a greater proportion of whole milk to cream. Another ingredient that distinguishes the two is eggs; ice cream

includes egg yolks while gelato is (most often) completely void of eggs. These differing measurements and ingredients affect the amount of fat in each dessert, as well as the mouthfeel (the texture of the food in your mouth as you eat it). Legally, ice cream has to have a minimum of 10 percent fat; gelato contains only 5 to 7 percent fat.

The Process

It is not just the ingredients that separate the two, it is also the way that each is made. Ice cream and gelato must be churned to create that creamy, scoopable goodness, but it is the speed at which they are churned—and the resulting amount of air incorporated— that is different. Gelato is churned at a slower speed than ice cream, which creates a denser consistency since less air is whipped into the mixture. Gelato contains about 25 to 30 percent air, while ice cream can contain as much as 50 percent air. Once the ice cream and gelato are made, they are stored at certain temperatures to maintain the right consistency. Ice cream is typically served frozen, around 0 F, whereas gelato is typically stored and served at a slightly warmer temperature, around 15 F. This means gelato is not quite completely frozen, making the texture softer and silkier than ice cream. Visit Dedè at Rua Jose' Jacinto de Andrade lote 6 8900-313 Vila Real de Santo António, see Facebook 'Dedè - Gelato Italiano' Tel 964 247 529