Icy indulgence

Appreciating the ancient Italian dessert of gelato in all its delicious forms and flavours 

The risk of hypothermia and brain freeze involved in tasting 16 flavours of gelato –  in the middle of what feels like one of Joburg’s coldest winter – all somehow seems irrelevant after the first bite. Especially if you start with a spoonful of Donatella or “Gianduia”, which is a dreamy mix of chocolate and hazelnut gelato that the Doppio Zero in Fourways has come to consider as something of a “flagship”.

Often people confuse gelato with ice cream, but gelato differs in how it tastes and also in how it’s made. For a start, gelato sets itself apart from the rest for its indulgent creaminess. This is because it is churned at a slower speed than ice cream, so not as much air is whipped into the mixture, making it much more dense. While often higher in sugar, gelato also has a  lower fat content because it’s made with a greater proportion of whole milk to cream. As a result of being lower in fat, many people also distinguish gelato for its  rich, saturated flavours. The theory is that because the fat doesn’t coat one’s mouth as much as it does with ice cream, the flavours in gelato  taste much more intense.

Doppio Zero imports the base ingredients for its gelato straight from Italy (adding in the flavours and local fruit purees on the premises for guaranteed freshness). Coupled by the picturesque views of Montecasino that one can see through huge  double volume glass panels in the Fourways branch  and the arty  faux fresco sketched columns on the walls, one might be forgiven for indulging a brief daydream that one is indeed sitting in a piazza in Italy, sampling some of the finest gelato that the food loving  country has to offer.

Favourite flavours depend entirely on one’s moods and preferences. For those with a sweet tooth, the peanut flavoured Snickers gelato and the bold but deliciously  reliable Hazelnut should do the trick, while diners with a fruit craving can satiate themselves on the decadent  Strawberry or Mango Alfonso. There are even dessert gelato flavours, with the Quark Cheesecake, Creme Caramel and Tiramisu putting up a fierce fight to denounce their namesakes.

Even after 16 different flavoured spoonfuls, the temptation to overindulge is a great one. And not even Doppio’s delicious foccacia or parma ham topped Caprese salad will stop the cravings. You’ve been warned.

This article first appeared in CitiVibe in The Citizen on Monday 11 July 2011.

Visit Doppio Zero Fourways in the Forest Road Design & Decor Centre, corner Forest and Sunset Road, Fourways, call them on 011-467-4447 or log on to www.doppio.co.za for more information.