COOL TREATS – Gelato joints in Bali By Skye Laphroaig

We love living in the tropics for all the ice cream we get to eat. Chocolate, vanilla, or tamarillo and ginger, it’s hard to resist a scoop in this awesome weather. If you are over the branded commercial ice creams, which taste really artificial, Bali now has several professional Gelato joints and a single scoop cup costs only 20,000 rupiah.

Gelato is all the rage in Bali! We have our ‘favourite spots’ of course, but they are all quite excellent. Each outlet has a European creator who produces gelato right here on the island, while infusing the product with certain characteristics and charm.

Compared to today’s American-style ice cream gelato has less fat in the base and less air churned into it during the freezing process. American ice creams are heavy on the cream, and have a fat content, by American labeling law, of at least 10%. Gelato, by comparison, uses more milk than cream, so it doesn’t have nearly as much fat. Additionally, it usually uses fewer egg yolks, which is another source of fat.

How does gelato get that soft, elastic texture and slow-to-melt milkiness compared to ice cream’s richer, creamier body? I caught up with Manuela Molinari Dars, founder of Gusto Gelateria, Jalan Mertanadi, Seminyak to find out more.

FLAVOURSOME

American-style ice creams are churned at a fast speed to whip in plenty of air (called overrun), which is aided by the high proportion of cream in the base. The expensive ice creams have an overrun of 25%, which means the ingredients have increased in volume by 25%. Whereas cheaper commercial versions can run from 50% to over 90%, which gives them a light, thin, fast-melting texture that isn’t very flavoursome.

Gelato is churned at a much slower speed, which introduces less air into the base, just like whipping cream by hand. That’s why it tastes denser than ice cream.

“It comes down to three factors: fat, air, and serving temperature”, comments Manuela. “Things aren’t always clear cut so individual recipes can blur the lines between the two. But there are some basic differences to keep in mind.”

Some say that gelato has a more intense flavour than ice cream, since it has less of cold fat that gets in the way of tasting things. But I think it’s more accurate to say that gelato’s flavours come through direct, hard, and fast, then melt away clean.

Gusto Gelateria

According to Manuela, temperature gives gelato that super-soft, almost elastic texture that looks like a swirl of frosting rather than a scoop of ice cream. Ice cream is best served at 10°F, but gelato cases are set to a warmer temperature.

“If you freeze gelato really cold, it will be too dense. But when warm, it’s that perfect soft-but-not-soupy consistency. If you stored ice cream at a much warmer temperature, it’d get too soupy: the high fat in water emulsion would melt too fast.”

At Gusto Gelato and Caffe ice creams are uncompromised, with 42 different flavoured ice creams, and 23 different flavoured sherbets to choose from, it’s a love affair! Cones and pastries are made daily, in Bali by Manuela and her team. You can sample fresh ingredients, with zero synthetic products, lots of fruits, some sugar, cream, milk, real eggs, chocolate, cacao, butter, and tasty new items, weekly.

“The ice cream, cones and pastries are all made fresh on the premises”, says Manuela. “And don’t forget, we also serve coffees, expresso, macchiato, cappuccino, latte; hot chocolate, tea and tasty little pastries fresh from the oven.”

All the old faithful favourites can be found on the menu such as chocolate, coconut, vanilla, hazelnut and strawberry along with some more tropical and unique flavours – lemongrass, ginger, tamarillo, dragon fruit and jasmine tea. Available in a 20,000 rupiah cup or in a 55,000 rupiah half-litre tub full.

Gusto Gelato & Caffe
www.gusto-gelateria.com
Open Mon-Sat 07:00-20:00

Massimo Il Ristorante

Chef Massimo, originally from Southern Italy, will sort you with pizzas, pasta, and has a huge array of really classic and luscious flavours on offer. Featuring a wide variety of Italian classics, Massimo’s is one of Sanur’s longest standing restaurants.

Not only is the food fun, but also the owner, Massimo, keeps the spirit alive by often stepping out of the kitchen to chat with patrons. This gem has both indoor and outdoor seating where families are always welcome. Massimo uses many locally sourced ingredients, and serves savory pastas, thin-crust pizza and divine desserts.

“One of the main draws to Massimo’s is the homemade gelato”, says Chef Massimo. “We have a large gelato storefront just off the main tourist drag in Sanur and serve a multitude of exotic flavours. We recently displayed a huge variety of gelato flavours at the Sanur Village Festival Food Bazaar. At Massimo, you will get similar service experience when you are ordering here as in a gelato cafe in Florence.”

His passion for culinary excellence is exceeded only by his passion for people. So come to Massimo and experience, first hand, the magic of an evening as only Massimo can deliver. The chocolate chili is divine. They sell takeaway directly on the street, but you can dine in if you like and we do recommend this. The cheap and cheerful Italian restaurant is one of the island’s most authentic. Massimo Restaurant’s gelato is surely heaven on earth!

Jalan Danau Tamblingan 228, Sanur
Telp: (0361) 288 942 www.massimobali.com.

Gelato Secrets

According to Gelato Secrets, “Gelato doesn’t help with a bad mood. It cures it!”

Gelato Secrets has been sharing their love and passion for gelato via the branch in Ubud for a while, but their second shop in Sanur only opened a few months ago, right at the front of Hardy’s and also a new branch on Jalan Raya Petitenget. Located only a 3-minute walk from the beach, sample delicious homemade gelato and cakes.

Inspired from childhood memories and a love for gelato, Maria & Carlo Lentini bring this wonderful dessert to Bali with the authentic taste from Italy and a twist of best ingredients in the island. Savour this wonderful combination of tastes and discover the art of gelato. Created in Bali since 2009, they have been exploring the best fruits, vegetables and spices in the island and share those incredible discoveries with you.

Good gelato should be served with a good quality of cone. Gelato Secrets assure this by making it homemade with the freshest of ingredients. Buy a takeaway scoop, or sit at one of the two or three small tables street side. The big lure here is the array of flavours using local ingredients imaginatively. Discover the art of gelato by trying their sesame and honey, banana and palm sugar or avocado and chocolate chips.

Jalan Danau Tamblingan, Hardy’s Supermarket, Sanur
T: (0361) 977 899
www.gelatosecrets.com.

Gaya

Gaya wins on the strength of two things: the gorgeous simplicity of its smooth, natural ice cream, and its fantastic position on Sanur beach. Gaya markets themselves as being the only artisan and completely natural ice cream on the island with a Gaya in Ubud, and one in Echo Beach, and the product is scented with the spices of Bali and made with the passion of Italy with flavours such as blackberry, chili chocolate and fresh mint with crunchy dark chocolate shavings.

The making of gelato is a craft and a skill, but also a unique way of life. Gelato identifies Italians around the world. Gaya want to produce and promote the culture of the best gelato in the world, using the historical heritage of knowledge, creativity and social value inherent in the noble art of the artisan, always honouring the earth and those who work it. Gelato is Gaya’s first passion: the Prince of Desserts.

Their Handmade Italian Gelato is produced with the best raw materials available, including Italian hazelnuts and natural pistachio. In addition, Gaya uses the great local fruits of Bali, the exciting natural aromas of vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and coffee with its aromatic notes. Their Handmade Gelato has a low fat content, and does not use artificial aromas or food colourings. Preservatives are prohibited.

Gaya includes the essential ingredient: Passion. You can find their gelato at a new location in: Jalan Pura Batu Mejan, Echo Beach, Canggu from 10am till 10pm!

Pantai Karang, Sanur T: (0361) 979 252
www.gayafusion.com/gelato.

Delicioso

Gelato is not simply an Italian word for regular ice cream. In fact, gelato is an entirely different and unique product separate and distinct from ice cream. Delicioso make the premium quality of gelato made with only the freshest and finest ingredients and heaps of passion. Delicioso is committed to creating and maintaining premium quality products by only using the finest local and imported ingredients and developing new tropical flavors that are unique for their customers.

They always create new tropical flavours that are unique and basic flavours that would exceed your taste buds experience. We will grow our relationships with our customers and our suppliers to maintain excellence and innovation and ensure the supply of premium quality products and maintain the highest level of hygiene.

Delicioso has a main outlet opposite Bintang Supermarket, with other outlets at Waterbom Bali, Bali Zoo and Deli Bistro Siloam Hospital/Lippo Plaza Mall. Their gelato contains essentially all of the same ingredients as ice cream, such as water, milk, cream, sugar, flavourings and air, but in uniquely different proportions.
They are known for low butterfat content, low overrun
and extreme freshness!

Main Café
Komplek Bintang Supermarket
Jl. Raya Seminyak No. 17, Seminyak T: (0361) 730 612 www.deliciosobali.com.