Good semi-finished ingredients have well-balanced components, giving a product with good consistency that is tasty, healthy, and hygienic.
To make perfectly creamy gelato, its solid and liquid ingredients need to be mixed together as much as possible, so that the water particles freeze smoothly and trap a sufficient amount of air.
In modern gelato workshops, this is all possible at much higher levels of food safety than before, using equipment which ensures efficiency, precision and hygiene, and using balanced and carefully selected semi-finished ingredients: bases, stabilizers, emulsifiers and plant-based thickening agents are able to do their job without altering the sensory properties of the finished product, and without affecting its natural characteristics.
Depending on your personal inspiration, seasonal factors, and your customers’ personal preferences, semi-finished products can be used for various purposes. Here is a list of those available.
Semi-finished ingredients for base mixtures
In powdered, liquid, or paste form, these are produced at various concentrations, according to which ingredients the gelato-maker wishes to add. For example, mixtures may contain additives which emulsify and stabilize hand-made gelato, to which the fresh ingredients will be added later; or else they may contain milk, cream, eggs, and other basic ingredients. Which ones you choose will depend on how much time you have available, the time of year and therefore the availability (and perishability) of diluted raw materials, and according to how many pasteurizing machines you have in your workshop.
Flavor mixtures
These ingredients are added to base mixtures to provide them with flavor. For example, this category includes powdered fruit or milk flavors (cocoa powder, freeze-dried coffee, liquorice powder) and flavor pastes (pistachio and other nuts, syrups, fruit pastes), used to create the various gelato flavors. Again, which exact one you choose will depend on various factors, first and foremost the season.
Ready-to-use compound ingredients
Prepared mixtures in powder, paste, or liquid form, with a full range of ingredients, for making cream- or fruit-based hand-made gelatos in an instant – just add water, milk, and/or whipped cream, depending on the recipe.
Semi-finished ingredients for decoration
This category includes a wide range of preparations used to garnish gelato, based on honey or sweet syrups, chocolate or cocoa, coffee or other infusions, dried fruits, fruit and vegetable preserves and preparations, fruit juices and pulp, candied or canned fruit, alcoholic beverages, artificial colors, flavorings, and additives.