Today you can enjoy a frozen dairy treat in just about every corner of the globe. However they are not all the same, ice cream in America is not the same as gelato in Italy and kulfi in India. So what are the most popular forms of these delicious desserts and what makes the different?
Ice cream - to be labeled as ice cream in the USA a product must contain 10% milk fat and more than 20% milk solids by weight. This is a relatively high level of fat and gives the American treat it's traditional smooth creamy texture. There are generally two types, "Philadelphia" style and "French" style, the latter is made with a custard base while the former has no eggs.
Gelato - traditionally made by hand in Italy it has only 7-8% fat which is less than what is required by law in the US. It usually has a much higher egg content of as well
Sorbets, sherberts and granitas- are almost identical products that don't contain any or only a small amount of milk; these are a often a fruit puree mixed with ice. The will be less smooth and often have very intense taste. These were the forerunners of ice cream and remain very popular.
Semifredo or frozen custard - a smooth, very creamy and richer alternative. It is generally not mass-produced and available only at the point of manufacture. It has a high egg content.
Frozen yoghurt-is a low or no fat alternative using milk and yoghurt in place of cream. It yields a sensation of tartness.
Kulfi is the Indian version, that is not whipped, has little air content and so is very dense. It is made by thickening sweetened milk so it has a very intense base. Combined with unusual flavors to a western palate, it makes a very unusual taste.