Butterfat

Butterfat, or milk fat, is the fat found in milk and cream. In ice cream it coats the tongue, carries flavour and helps keep ice crystals small, so the texture stays smooth. A mix with more cream generally has more butterfat and tastes richer, though too much can make ice cream feel heavy.

Some ice creams use vegetable fats instead of, or as well as, milk fat. In the UK, products sold as dairy ice cream are expected to get their fat from milk, which is why you see both terms on labels. Fat level is one of the things that separates styles. Gelato often has less fat than rich ice cream but less air too, so it still tastes intense. Anyone avoiding dairy should treat all ice cream with care and ask about ingredients.