Ice cream

Ice cream is a sweet, frozen dessert made from cream or milk products (or both) and other ingredients, and is generally aerated.  It must contain no less than 100g/kg of milk fat and 168g/L of food solids to be considered ice cream.

In its most basic form, ice cream is a mixture of cream and/or milk, sugar, and sometimes eggs. It is frozen while being churned and stabilizers, such as plant gums, are usually added and the mixture is pasteurised and homogenized. The mixture may have flavourings added, from something as simple as vanilla, fruit, or other more exotic flavors.  If you chose Coconut Milk ice cream, you can usually avoid a lot of these additives and have a "cleaner" version of ice cream.  The mixture is then frozen in machines that agitate it, using paddles or dashers, combining air to keep the ice crystals small and freeze it at the perfect temp to create a smooth, creamy-textured dessert.

Gelato

Gelato means ‘ice cream’ in Italian, but the two are not the same.  Gelato generally contains less fat than ice cream, as it's made from whole milk instead of cream and it has less air churned into it so it's denser in texture. Gelato is traditionally served at a slightly warmer temperature too, so it's softer and looks glossier.

Sorbet

Sorbet contains just fruit, sugar, and no dairy. It’s often churned in an ice cream maker, which makes it scoop-able, but not creamy. Restaurants use sorbet as a palate cleanser during multi-course meals because its intense fruit flavor is extra refreshing. It is also very easy to make at home.

For ice cream lovers, here’s a guide to the best places to enjoy your favourite treat in Brisbane.