A scoop of a creamy, sugary dessert makes for one of life's simplest yet most delightful pleasures. Ice cream and gelato enthusiasts have numerous options to indulge in, but even though these favored summer treats share a similar base of milk, cream, and sugar, they are distinctively unique.

Ice cream typically contains a higher ratio of cream to milk, making it fattier than gelato. It's churned rapidly, leading to an airier and lighter texture. In contrast, gelato generally has more milk and less cream, resulting in a thicker, creamier, flavor-packed, even slightly stretchy tempter.

Let's not forget that these are generalized descriptions – although the U.S. does specify a particular definition for what ice cream ought to be. Ice cream is essentially concocted with heavy cream, milk, sugar, occasionally eggs or egg yolks. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sets its requirements, stating that ice cream should contain a minimum of 10% milk fat by weight. However, most brands slightly exceed this requirement with their offerings typically containing a milk fat percentage of up to 14 to 25%.

Styles of making ice cream differ too. French-style ice cream, for example, contains egg yolks in the base, while American-style, or Philadelphia-style, may exclude egg yolks completely. Sometimes, you may spot pints labelled as "frozen dairy desserts" in the grocery aisle. These contain less than 10% milk fat by weight or more “overrun” - a term referring to the additional air introduced into during churning that volumes up the ice cream.

Gelato, a popular dessert in Italy, also means "ice cream," but it isn't necessarily the same thing. With a lower milk fat content that ranges from 4 to 9%, gelato offers a softer, denser texture with smaller ice crystals. This results from the use of a base with less cream, more milk, and a slower churning process that pushes less air into the final product. Most gelaterias set their temperatures warmer than your average ice cream parlor, aiding in maintaining gelato's slick texture. While there's no legal norm for gelato in the U.S., the Italian government requires a minimum of 3% milk fat content in gelato.

In comparison to ice cream and gelato, frozen custard should legally contain a minimum of 1.4% egg yolks as per the FDA. Like ice cream, it also should contain a minimum of 10% milk fat by weight.

Ice cream and gelato principally vary in terms of their base ingredient proportions and their churning speeds. Gelato is usually composed of lesser milk fat, churned more slowly, and generally served at a higher temperature, hence introducing less air and establishing a denser consistency. Frozen custard, on the other hand, always includes egg yolks and is mostly made in a machine that lets in very little air, creating a denser, richer texture.