After much debate about the sorbet vs. ice cream issue in a post earlier this week, we can conclude that sorbets, by definition, do not contain any milk products. We also know the different fat contents that make the difference between low fat and regular ice creams. But what of other ice cream terms? Here are a couple of handy definitions that should help clear things up:
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Sorbet - does not contains dairy; always very light in flavor
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Sherbet - almost always has a fruit component, but also must contain dairy to produce a dessert that is lighter than ice cream, but richer than sorbet
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Frozen yogurt - contains dairy that has been cultured (though most do not contain active cultures), and is churned to resemble soft ice cream, with a smooth, rich texture.
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Ice milk - just like an ice cream, but made with milk rather than cream; a little used term for strict constructionists of the word "ice cream," since most home chefs would say ice cream anyway
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Ice cream - must have at least 10% milkfat (or 8% if there is a mix-in) by volume (if sold commercially); may or may not contain eggs
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Frozen custard (also called French ice cream) - ice cream that is made with at least 1.4% egg yolks, giving it a richer texture than ordinary ice cream.
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Gelato - ice cream with a mixture of milk and sometimes cream in the base, often including eggs. It is churned less than regular ice cream and has less air in the final product, which gives it a dense texture.
7-22-2006 @4:44PM Luis Antonio said... Hey, you missed gratina, although it's not completely frozen which is why you may not have mentioned it. It's like a lumpy sorbet.
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7-22-2006 @8:19PM Adriane said... Sorbet with "always very light flavor"? Do you mean not as rich? I'm not sure I understand this. All the sorbets I've had are usually more intensely flavored than, say, a sherbet...or even a fruit/berry ice cream...in which the cream tends to mellow everything out. Any clarification?
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7-22-2006 @9:34PM Nancy said... I LOVE ice milk... it is the best. I don't know about other parts of the country, but in the South you used to be able to buy either ice milk or ice cream at the grocery store. I like the texture (sort of icy) and the lightness (not heavy) of ice milk more than ice cream or custard.
Also, in the days before frozen yogurt, ice milk was the healthy alternative to ice cream!
Oh, and Ciao Bella's sorbets are not light by anybody's definition. I can only eat a couple of bites of chocolate sorbet because it is so rich.
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10-12-2006 @3:16PM cars profile said... Ice cream makes me so happy day by day
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