The Gelato Festival Challenge made its first stop in Norway on 30 October 2019 in Oslo, where 11 Norwegian gelato artisans competed. It was hosted by Carpigiani’s distributor for Norway.

The winning flavour

“Blue cheese” by Frode Stavran of Simens Isbar in Trondheim took the win. The gelato uses local raw materials: Selbu blue cheese, milk from Røros and honey from Dalen Hageby.

Judging and next steps

The winner goes on to the European Finals of Gelato Festival, scheduled for 2021 in Italy at Carpigiani Gelato University headquarters. Entries are scored on flavour, structure, creativity and presentation, reflecting ingredient choice, craft in the recipe and visual impact. The jury was Maurizio Luongo (head pastry chef, Hotel Bristol, Oslo), Lars-Erik Undrum (owner and CEO, Villa Sole, Oslo) and Bernhard Azinger (pastry chef, Tine SA, Oslo).

Gelato Festival launched in Florence in 2010, inspired by the first gelato recipe by architect Bernardo Buontalenti in 1559. It has since spread through Italy and Europe and, from 2017, the United States, on the road to the Gelato Festival World Masters 2021.

What this means for gelato makers in New Zealand

The winning recipe shows how far local produce can go. Gelato makers in New Zealand can do the same with fresh regional dairy and fruit. Explore Carpigiani batch freezers and Rubicone ingredients through Majors Group.

Source: Carpigiani news. Rewritten for New Zealand by Majors Group.