Why Store-Bought Gelato Tastes Different From The Real Thing

A decadent gelato doesn't require an overseas trip to Italy; for starters you can head to these NYC spots for the best gelato. The quality of artisanal products across the globe is crave-worthy, which is why standard store-bought containers can feel so disappointing. Rather than smooth and gliding, home-stored gelato is often rock solid with none of the elegant consistency we know and love. With that said, there's an inside scoop you should know about. If you're wondering why your store-bought dessert is falling flat, it might be time to re-evaluate your freezer's temperature dials.

With minimal fat and aeration, gelato really doesn't fare well with fluctuating temperatures. This is why, in authentic gelato stores, freezers are set to around 12 degrees Fahrenheit – and why these stores tend to use traditional metal tins aka one of the most important things to look for when buying gelato. However, most home refrigerators sit at zero degrees Fahrenheit. 

While it is possible to adjust your freezer's temperature, it's important to be mindful of the impact this could have on other food you're storing. The USDA recommends a temperature of zero degrees for long-term freezer storage, and the general guidance is to keep meat at this level to prevent bacterial growth. For die-hard gelato fans, you can weigh the possibility of running a separate mini freezer. This R.W.FLAME Chest Freezer can keep things a little warmer, with a high of 6.8 degrees Fahrenheit while this WATOOR Mini Freezer can reach 14 degrees Fahrenheit.

While temperature massively influences how authentic your first spoonful of store-bought gelato tastes, there are more differences between store-bought and traditional gelatos than Fahrenheit alone. For one, there's the production process and the ingredients. The origins of gelato date back longer than you might expect and traditional versions of the dessert came in just four or five flavors. These simplistic recipes lacked shelf-life, though. So, in order to streamline production for industrial levels, hot and cold production processes became the norm — which relied on 21st-century freezing and pasteurizing equipment. Along with  those developments, additives like stabilizers and thickeners were introduced.

As a result of these innovations, store-bought gelato tends to taste less like its earlier, fresher, iterations. With that said there are numerous popular gelato brands (although some are better than others) Plus, many high-quality producers still refuse to use additives in their gelato. These days, finding the right gelato is a question of choosing carefully. Make sure to check the labels, look for pale colors, and consume your gelato within two weeks or less of opening it. Better yet? Make your own. Coffee gelato recipe, anyone?