Learn more about the perfect scoop of gelato, just in time for the summer heat.
There’s nothing quite like the experience of authentic Italian gelato. It’s definitely not just ice cream, and making it properly takes a certain level of expertise.
Business owners Jason Go and Paolo Reyes know this—they studied for months at the Carpigiani Gelato University in Italy in order to become certified gelatiere, or gelato chefs. After long hours of work in the lab perfecting their recipes, Jason and Paolo returned to the Philippines and launched Manila Creamery.
Manila Creamery
Manila Creamery’s goal is to create world-class gelato that’s on par with what Italy has to offer while staying true to its roots through flavors that are uniquely Filipino.
This was the driving idea behind some of their most popular flavors such as Mangga’t Suman, Turon and Tinutong Rice.
There are a lot of gelato brands out there, so we sat down with Jason to find out what to look for in the perfect scoop, just to make sure we get the real thing.
LOOK FOR:
✓ – Light, creamy texture. There should be little to no ice crystals in the gelato in order to obtain this silky texture. That’s what sets it apart from normal ice cream.
✓ – Strong, distinguishable flavors. Good gelato must be made with natural, fresh, high quality ingredients and not artificial flavoring.
JASON SAYS: “The flavor must [come] through really well. … A person shouldn’t taste gelato and wonder what flavor it is.”
KEY MISTAKES:
X – Using low quality ingredients. Gelato is made of 60-80% milk so using low quality milk has a huge effect on the end product.
X – An imbalanced recipe. Too much sugar makes the gelato too sweet and soft, while too much fat makes it hard and oily.
X – Mishandling. Gelato should be stored at a temperature of -18 degrees. Any warmer and ice crystals will form. Storing it too long will also lead to more ice crystals and a poor, grainy texture.
X – Using a cheap machine. A low quality machine’s end product normally has ice crystals in it.
JASON SAYS: “Gelato is a very delicate product and there are a lot of [factors] that [can result in] bad gelato.”
WATCH OUT FOR:
X – Re-churning. Some companies take their left overs at the end of the day, melt it, and then churn it again for the next day to avoid wastage.
X – Flavored sugar paste instead of real, fresh ingredients. Bright colors are usually signs of this. For example, a mint chocolate flavor should just be white with streaks of chocolate and not bright green.
JASON SAYS: “[Re-churning] is a big no-no as melting gelato builds bacteria and lessens flavor.”
RECOMMENDATIONS:
✓ – Sicilian Pistachio
✓ – Malted Milk (coming soon!)
JASON SAYS: “I believe we nailed [our pistachio flavor] in making it taste like the ones they sell in Italy.”
We can’t wait to see what Paolo and Jason have up their sleeves for the next few months. Have you tried Manila Creamery yet? Follow their page for pop-up events! Let us know your favorite flavors in the comments!
P.S. We heard they’re looking to open their own store soon!
No reservations accepted
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Contact number: +63 2 915 943-8316
