Gelato is sometimes labeled as “Italian ice cream” in the United States, but that definition is not correct. Because Italians have found that too much butterfat interferes with the transfer of fresh flavors to the tongue, gelato is made exclusively with milk, and not cream, as American ice cream is made of.
In fact, Italian gelato is comprised of no more than 10% butterfat. In addition, Italian gelato is churned at a slow speed, which introduces less air into the base and creates a denser, more flavorful consistency than ice cream.