Dairy & Eggs
Ricotta in gelato
Ricotta is a fresh, soft whey cheese made by recooking cheesemaking whey to coagulate its residual proteins. In gelato it adds milk protein, body and a gentle lactic tang while contributing almost no sweetness and little anti-freezing power.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 25.5% |
| Water | 74.5% |
| Sugars | 3.4% |
| Fat | 11% |
| MSNF | 11.1% |
| Protein | 10% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 0.5 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 3.4 |
Typical use: 8-20% of the mix
Balance ricotta in a real recipe
Free balancer · no signup wall · watch PAC, POD and Total Solids update live as you add it.
Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
Ricotta is used to make ricotta, cannolo and cassata-style gelati, contributing roughly 10 g fat, 10 g protein and 3.4 g lactose per 100 g. Its high protein boosts body, water-binding and creaminess and helps limit iciness, while its very low sugar means a negligible POD (~0.5) and low PAC (~3.4, from lactose only). Because it barely softens the scoop, balance total sugars and PAC with your sweeteners rather than relying on the cheese. Drain excess whey and blend smooth before adding to the base.
Origin & background
Ricotta takes its name from the Latin 'recocta', meaning 'recooked', because it is traditionally produced by reheating the whey drained off during cheesemaking so that residual albumin and globulin proteins coagulate. The technique is documented across Italy since antiquity, with protected regional versions such as Ricotta Romana DOP and Sicilian sheep-milk ricotta.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central, 'Cheese, ricotta, whole milk' (SR Legacy 01036 / FDC 171236): water 71.7 g, protein 11.26 g, fat 12.98 g, carbohydrate 3.04 g, sugars 0.27 g per 100 g — https://tools.myfooddata.com/nutrition-facts/170851/wt1
- USDA-derived nutrient analysis, 'Cheese, whole milk, ricotta' — https://www.nutritionvalue.org/Cheese%2C_whole_milk%2C_ricotta_nutritional_value.html
- CREA (Italian Council for Agricultural Research) Food Composition Tables 2019, cow-milk ricotta: protein 8.8 g, fat 10.9 g, carbohydrate (lactose) 3.5 g, 146 kcal per 100 g — https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/en/latticini/ricotta-profili-nutrizionali/