Carpigiani Gelato University: Italian Ice Cream University

At first glance it doesn't look very appetizing: a yellow sludge in which black, brown, yellow and orange rods and granules float. But that will soon change. Master ice cream maker Gianpaolo Valli explains that this is the basis of his crema ai sei profumi, ice cream with six flavors.

It consists of a mixture of milk, cream and milk powder with three types of sugar: sucrose, dextrose and glucose syrup, in addition to egg yolks and flour from the seeds of the carob (carob tree) as a natural binder.

Everything is pasteurized at a temperature of around 75 degrees, where the sugar melts, followed by a two-hour process infusion, or soaking the other ingredients: vanilla pods, orange and lemon peel, broken coffee beans, cloves and sticks of cinnamon.

The sieved mixture is poured into the ice cream maker which tosses, lobes, freezes and grinds for 8-10 minutes to prevent crystal formation. Then the cream-colored ice cream is ready – an electronic system notifies when it is ready – to be scooped out of the machine and finally served from a container next to containers with other original flavors such as sour cherries with ricotta cheese, white coffee and green tea.

Then it's time to taste the result: a delicious airy ice cream with a mix of flavors like I've never experienced before. (The same goes for the other creations, where the sour cherries and green tea are more pronounced.)

100.000 artisanal ice cream makers

Valli gives his insight into the kitchen of the ice cream maker at the Gelato University Carpigiani, in Anzola d'Emilia near Bologna, which will celebrate its 2023th anniversary in 20.

With a share of 55% on the world market, Carpigiani is by far the largest manufacturer of ice cream machines for the artisan ice cream maker. The ice cream maker school next to the company has been set up to promote the knowledge of Italian artisanal ice cream in the world.

The school offers five-day courses for ice cream makers at 3 levels and in 13 languages. At the Italian headquarters and in 22 branches in 21 other countries, 70.000 students have participated so far, says the director of Gelato University, the Japanese Kaori Ito.

In addition, the practical in Anzola – where lessons are given in 5 languages ​​– offers the opportunity to immediately put the acquired knowledge into practice and to experiment with new recipes.

'We were gloomy during the corona period, but then the number of students actually increased with online participants. For example, we had a student from Panama who got out of bed every night at 2 am.'

The course is relatively cheap, but it is not set up to make a profit, they are very open about that at Carpigiani. Spreading the culture of Italian artisan gelato is of course a noble aim, but it is also self-interest, especially if you provide more than half of the necessary equipment yourself.

The creation of new markets is also necessary as the main traditional markets become saturated. 'There are approximately 100.000 artisanal ice cream makers in the world. Of these, 33.000 in Italy and 9.000 in Germany. There is not much left to sell. On the contrary, in Italy we are, in a sense, our biggest competitor. Our machines last 25 years, so there are also many second-hand ones on the market,' explains Valli.

Of the annual turnover of more than 200 million euros, 92% is therefore destined for export to 110 countries.

Trends in ice cream making

How much does an ice cream maker cost and can you buy one yourself? The amounts range from 6.000 to 70.000 euros, says Valli, and each one is handmade to order:

'Each country has its own peculiarities, with different components, ingredients, taste preferences and local conditions. For example, in Africa we have to build in facilities for when the power goes out.'

Carpignani works almost exclusively for the trade sector. 'Supplying to private individuals actually makes no sense. A few rich people may wish for their own ice cream maker, but what good is it? You spend hours preparing one type, while you are in the ice-cream shop have the choice between at least a dozen flavours. That's so easy.'

In addition, the world of artisanal ice cream is changing, she says: 'The time when the ice cream maker worked with a limited number of recipes handed down from home is long gone. There is now a new business model in which you must always remain innovative and respond to the tastes of the moment.'

So what is the trend now? 'That of increasingly lighter ice cream, with less sugar, less fat, without dyes, without lactose and without animal fats. The ice cream follows the vegan fashion. The consumer asks and we play,' says Valli laconically.

And what are the main differences with factory ice? Artisanal ice cream uses fresh ingredients, contains less air and fat, is less cold (4-7 degrees below zero against a minimum of -18) and can be supplied by the ice cream maker in all possible variants.

Finally, a tip from the master ice cream maker: if you keep artisanal ice cream in the freezer, take it out half an hour in advance, so that you don't get a hard lump in the mouth, but can enjoy a nice, creamy ice cream.

The museum of the ice-cream shop

In addition to the factory and school, Carpigiani also has a small museum dedicated to the history of ice cream. It is a nice collection with curiosities as the first known recipe for ice cream (late 17^e century), a double-walled barrel in which ice was made at the beginning of the last century with a mixture of salt and ammonia, and a series of classic ice cream carts.

In addition, the first experimental ice cream machines, antique ice cream spoons and moulds, a waffle iron for ice cream cones and soft ice cream machines from the 50s. Also fun for the children, especially if you combine it with a visit to the Gelateria del Museo.

Learn more about the Gelato Museum

The museum, which had 10.000 visitors last year, is accessible by reservation only from Thursday to Saturday between 8 a.m. and 18 p.m. The Gelateria is open to the public Tuesday-Saturday from 12-19pm.

• www.carpigiani.com
• www.gelatouniversity.com
• gelatomuseum.com