What is Italian Ice?
Italian ice is a frozen dessert made with fruit or juice, sugar, and water. The ingredients in Italian ice are mixed, then whipped during the freezing process similar to the process for making ice cream.
Italian ice is then hand dipped into small dessert cups and served with small paddle-spoons.
Italian ice is dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, and cholesterol-free. Some flavors also come in a sugar-free option.
As a group, Italian ice comes in a variety of consistencies from crunchy, to smooth, to slushy. Repicci’s Real Italian ice is a silky-smooth consistency like ice cream.
What is the Origin of Italian Ice?
Many countries have a form of frozen ice dessert similar to Italian ice. The traditional Italian ice is lemon flavored with a heavier texture similar to a granita.
Modern Italian Ices have developed their creamier texture as equipment has improved to allow for a more consistent mixing process that beats air into the mixture. The smaller the ice crystals and the better whipped the mixture is, the creamy the texture.
These modern Italian Ices have their roots in Italy with authentic recipies. However they are more common in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and other east coast states.
Repicci's Italian Ice uses its family’s Old-World recipe brought over from Messina, Italy in 1911 by the family.
