How to recognize good artisan ice cream: 11 things to watch out for

How do you recognize good homemade ice cream? Here are the 11 rules of ice cream to identify and taste only quality ice creams

Not only in summer, but also in winter, ice cream has become a staple of the Mediterranean diet. But what may seem like a light treat can hide serious pitfalls that are important to avoid: just as we pay attention to the market to recognize fresh fish, we must practice recognizing good ice cream.

Poor-quality ice cream may not only contain a high amount of sugar, but also high levels of hydrogenated fats, both of which are dangerous for many groups of people including the obese, diabetics and children, or colorants or preservatives that can cause serious digestive problems or allergic reactions.

For this reason, in collaboration with the Gelatosità experts , we have tried to include the most important rules of observation to recognize good gelato "by eye".

Swollen mountain ice cream

Avoid the classic ice cream displayed in the ice cream counter with the "in the mountains".

A healthy ice cream can not overflow from the tray without melting as the temperature maintained inside it is -14 °, but outside the situation changes: the temperature is that of the room and the ice cream should melt.

If the ice cream is swollen, it is very likely to contain it hydrogenated fats that keep the structure solid despite the form, allowed by law but not recommended for consumer health.
A trick often used to improve the appearance of the ice cream making it more inviting, but the cost is a big sacrifice in terms of its quality.

Strongly colored

Acid or very bright colors? Flee!

The colors of ice cream, especially fruit-flavored ice cream, must be natural, respecting the true color of the fruit. Ice creams made with fresh fruit often have muted, dull colors. A fluorescent green pistachio is certainly not free from colorants , nor is a completely yellow banana ice cream, considering the peel isn't used to make it.

With ice grains

Do you notice the presence of grains in the palate? Help!

Never happened to perceive small flakes of ice in the inner part of the ice cream? They are a clear sign of the addition of water to the ice cream, clearly perceptible on the palate, often a symptom of a remanufactured ice cream.
A practice that could be attributable to the defrosting and subsequent refreezing of a slice of meat. Would you eat it?

Fruit ice cream .. but with milk

Fruit ice cream must be a sorbet, made only with water, sugar and fresh fruit pulp.
If the product contains milk, it is most likely a ploy to disguise the poor quality of raw materials.

Ice cream with the most unlikely tastes

Just as the now-famous "Smurf"-flavored ice cream is nothing more than a fiordilatte flavor stuffed with food coloring , there are other flavored ice creams that are more fantasy than reality and should be carefully avoided. This way, we won't end up eating the same food colorings we try to avoid in our children's diets, which are now banned in artisanal ice cream parlors.

A serious ice cream counter should offer between 22 and 28 flavors. An ice cream counter with 30 or more flavors should alert the consumer.

How many days are there some flavors?

It is important to keep in mind that the oxidation process of ice cream begins as soon as it is exposed to air in the ice cream counter.

Stringy ice cream

The ice cream should have a soft but airy consistency. If it's stringy , sticky, or almost stringy, then it's best to avoid it.

Sense of satiety and fullness of the stomach?

Is the ice cream satisfying? Step away from the scale.

An ice cream that's too nutritious isn't a quality ice cream and may not be made with natural ingredients. After eating it, it shouldn't make the body feel full . Ice cream isn't like a large plate of pasta; it shouldn't give you the same feeling.

It resists melting

Is your ice cream slow to melt? This is a serious sign of chemical use.

Ice cream yes dissolves immediately

But it shouldn't melt too easily without giving you time to savor it. If it melts quickly, it means the sugar content is too high.

Ice cream tastes greasy and almost greasy

A greasy film in the mouth is a negative symptom , which emerges particularly when using hydrogenated fats which give that classic “buttery” flavour.

Thirsty after ice cream? A bad sign

If ice cream makes you thirsty, it means it's extremely high in sugar . A quality ice cream shouldn't make you crave water. Nature has balanced the percentages of water in foods; for example, if you eat an apple, you won't feel thirsty (the fruit already contains the right amount of water).

If you eat a dish made with condiments and more, your body asks us for water in order to synthesize (digest) what you ate. The more thirsty you are after an ice cream, the more elaborate and therefore unnatural the ice cream is.