Did you have nasi lemak ice cream to celebrate National Day (2023)? It might sound outrageous, but the taste might be just up your street. After all, we in Singapore love nasi lemak. Nasi Lemak ice cream reminds me of my MBA days when I discovered the essence of creativity. At the heart, creativity is the blending or fusion of existing ideas to produce something new and desirable.

Nasi lemak ice cream reminds me of its Italian counterpart, Nutella ice cream. Or should it be Nutella gelato? What is the difference between ice cream and gelato? I had no idea before I visited Italy in October 2022. All along, I assumed they were the same.

In common with ice cream, gelato consists of a custard base of milk, cream, and sugar. The main difference is the proportions of cream and milk: gelato has more milk (and less cream) than ice cream. In addition, gelato does not (usually) contain egg yolk like ice cream. Hence, gelato typically includes 4-8% fat versus the 14-16% in ice cream. Health freaks, do take note of this distinction!

Making gelato is distinct from making ice cream, giving the Italian version a different consistency and taste. Gelato is often described as being dense, resulting from the process in which it is churned at a much slower speed than ice cream. It also contains less air (therefore thicker and richer in flavour), and scoop for scoop, you get more gelato than you would ice cream. Gelato is typically stored and served at a slightly warmer temperature.

I found the Nutella gelato flavour intriguing. My younger daughter loves Nutella. We never failed to buy her a jar to spread on bread or biscuits. Nutella gelato is new to me, and I tried it. Since I am not a fan of Nutella, I wouldn’t say I love it. It has an interesting taste but certainly does not enter my top three flavours.
Nutella is an Italian household product. The story of Nutella is an excellent example of the axiom “Necessity is the mother of all inventions.” After World War II, cocoa was in short supply. Ferrero (originally from Piedmont in Italy) creatively solved the problem by substituting cocoa with hazelnuts (found in abundance in Italy). This was how the precursor to Nutella® was born.
In 1963, Ferrero’s son Michele Ferrero revamped the original recipe, and the first jar of Nutella, as we know it today, left the factory in Alba on April 20, 1964. The product was an instant success and remains widely popular. But beware! Nutella consists of mainly sugar and palm oil (greater than 50%)! It also contains hazelnut at 13%, cocoa solids, and skimmed milk.
The mother of Nutella is a necessity. The mother of nasi lemak ice cream and Nutella gelato is creativity. Three cheers to two great friends: necessity and creativity! You made the world much better for us. Thanks.
