Gelato making and cold process: is it a successful marriage?
During our gelato making classes, we have always taught and pointed out how the hot process grants the highest product standards.
The hot process is in fact the process that uses pasteurization. Pasteurization is the thermal process that involves heating the mixture to 185°F and subsequently cooling it to approximately 40°F. This controlled temperature fluctuation effectively eradicates all pathogenic bacteria, thus guaranteeing the ideal fusion of gelato molecules.
The outcome is a smoother gelato, also able to last longer because of the better quality of its blend.
We have already told about these techniques in this previous post.
By the way, there are many different ways to make gelato. And many of them don’t require pasteurization: we are talking about the cold process. This one, whether it doesn’t usually lead to excellence, is very often adopted because of its several advantages.
In this blog post we’ll see if and when it might be an ideal solution for your ice cream or gelato shop.
Two different ways to make gelato with the cold process
There are two main methods to use the cold process, and one is quite better than the other.
The first one makes use of pre-made powders, the second ones involves real ingredients instead.
1. With powders
The usually less favorable approach involves relying on powder mixes.
Gelato ingredients manufacturers refer to them as "speedy" products, for obvious reasons.
These mixes encapsulate in fact the entire flavor profile in a bag, presenting the concoction in a powder form. Even fruit flavors, rather disappointingly, lack the presence of real fruits.
The first problem is that this method yields gelato with an excessively cold sensation on the palate. Secondly, the other relevant downside is that it also features artificial flavor profiles. The consequence is clearly a less creamy and overall subpar product.
1. With real ingredients
A more artisanal and hands-on technique involves blending regular ingredients. You can also buy and use already pasteurized dairies and cheeses.
This method requires the meticulous cold blending of these ingredients along with an appropriate stabilizer. There are some specifically designed for cold use. Moreover, employing a high-quality blender is crucial to break down all the powders, melt the sugars, and ideally achieve a degree of homogeneity in the mix.
Also, to ensure optimal results, it is usually recommended to let the blend sit in the refrigerator for some time. This allows the stabilizer and milk powder to fully hydrate.
The outcome? A delicate gelato with a fragile texture, that you can store in a Pozzetti display case.
However, it's important to note that this artisanal gelato may have a shorter shelf life than its pasteurized counterpart. It’s in fact prone to faster deterioration, making it imperative to sell the product on the same day to ensure a satisfactory quality.
So, cold process yes or no? Here’s the pros and cons
We know, we know.
At MODALiTA we’ve always been very clear about the fact that the hot process is the best one. We strive for quality, we suggest quality to our clients, we teach quality together with the Chef Sabrina Mancin at our classes.
You already know our preferences on the matter.
But does that mean that the cold process should be never used and doesn’t have any advantage?
Let’s dig into the pros and cons of not using pasteurization in your gelato making.
Cold process PROS
1. The cold process is FAST.
Pasteurization is excellent, but it takes time. Using the cold process allows you to churn gelato in a matter of minutes. And this gives you many obvious advantages.
2. Ideal for restaurants and high-traffic venues.
As a consequence of the first point, the cold process very often fits well the needs of restaurants and shops in high-traffic venues. Restaurants need in fact to serve desserts quite fast to ensure a great service. And with a lot of diners, they might want to churn gelato quickly when necessary.
Same thing for high-traffic venues’ shops. When you don’t need to store gelato overnight and you have to churn gelato very quickly in order to serve hordes of tourists and customers, the cold process might help you a lot.
3. It cuts costs.
Another implication of the cold process’ boosted production speed is that it helps you cut costs.
A longer gelato making process such as the hot one, obviously requires more energy and thus higher electricity costs. With the cold process, you save time, so you save money!
Cold process CONS
1. Safety regulations and requirements.
Since pasteurization is the main method to eliminate bacteria through temperature, the hot process grants maximum safety.
Consequently, with the cold process, maintaining meticulous cleanliness and adhering to stringent hygiene practices becomes paramount to avoid the proliferation of bacteria. It is then imperative to consistently observe both national and international food safety and hygiene regulations.
Adhering to these standards is a crucial step in ensuring that your final product is not only safe for consumption but also attains the highest standards of quality.
2. Obviously, lower quality.
As we said before, the cold process gives you a slightly lower quality, when compared to the hot process. But if you opt for a gelato making that avoids powder mixes and uses real ingredients instead, you can still churn a quality gelato. Choose your best fitting production method wisely.
3. More difficult to stand out.
Consequently to the quality issue, there is another con.
How to stand out from your competitors if you use quicker, more standardized production methods?
Again, if you’re a restaurant, gelato is not your core business. And if your shop is packed everyday with tourists, you may not need to stand out for the uniqueness of your gelato. In these cases, the cold processes may meet your own needs.
If instead you’re aiming for excellence and to become memorable for your product’s uniqueness, the hot process would be the optimal choice.
How to use the cold process properly?
In conclusion, at Modalita we always team up with quality. That’s why we usually recommend the hot process for any shop with a long term vision of excellence.
However, if you’re a restaurant or you work in some specific context, you might evaluate the cold process for your business. And of course, better if you do it without sacrificing the palate of your customers!
For this reason, in our new 2025 Gelato Classes, we have updated our schedule adding a demo on how to use the cold process properly.
An afternoon hands-on lesson held by our top partner Chef Sabrina Mancin, where she will show you how to use the top-class BRAVO G20 Gelato Machine to churn great gelato with all the advantages of the cold process.
If you’re looking for a quote of the BRAVO G20 Machine or any other equipment, contact us here to get our best quote. We’ve been awarded as BRAVO Best partners for the second year in a row, so you won’t find better quotes and customer service anywhere else.
Otherwise, if you want to take your gelato business to the next level, just book a seat for our next Gelato Class from Scratch!