The Ice Cream Sandwich Italians Enjoy For Breakfast

While you may think of a typical breakfast in Italy as consisting of a warm cornetto with an espresso or cappuccino, another morning staple is called brioche con gelato. An Italian take on an ice cream sandwich, this breakfast food consists of a brioche bun filled with chilled gelato or granita. That's right — ice cream for breakfast. It's especially enjoyed in the summer, since it gets very hot and keeping cool first thing in the morning is of the utmost importance. But the delicacy can be enjoyed any time of the day or year.

While some Italians dip their brioche in the granita or gelato, others have the bun sliced and packed with the sweet filling. The Sicilian brioche, called brioscia cu' tuppubrioscia cu' tuppu, differs from the French version as well as others found throughout Italy; in Sicily, it has a unique appearance as the bread is topped with a tuppu, which resembles a hair bun. But if you're enjoying this treat outside of Sicily, you'll likely see a typical brioche used. The bun is sometimes lightly toasted before adding in the gelato, bringing a crispy, buttery contrast to the soft and melty inside.

The filling is another important distinction from other traditional ice cream sandwiches. Gelato differs from ice cream in that it's denser than its American cousin, thanks to its consistency of 4-9% milk fat compared to ice cream, which has a minimum of 10% (in fact, most brands range between 14-25%). The other filling option, granita, is a semi-frozen slushie made of water, sugar, and fruit. For this treat, the two options are interchangeable.

Brioche con gelato is traditionally served with a spoon. While some people use the spoon to finish off their gelato first, and then eat the bread, others choose to forgo the utensil altogether and bite into the treat like a true sandwich. Some Italians enjoy a combination of both, and still others like their brioche and gelato served separately. In the latter case, you may see people dipping the bun into the gelato or granita, similar to how Italians dip their cornetto in cappuccino. No matter how it's eaten, though, brioche con gelato always hits the spot.

When choosing the gelato flavor to fill the bun, many Italians go with more traditional options, which may include pistachio, almond, or stracciatella (a vanilla gelato with ribbons of chocolate running through it). Of course, there's plenty of others to choose from, including hazelnut, lemon, and everything in between.

If you're ever in Sicily and looking for some of the best places to eat this breakfast treat, check out Gelateria Brioscia, a bakery in Palermo that specializes in gelato con brioche. In the U.S., some places like Zingerman's Deli in Michigan have also begun serving the tasty treat, or you can make it yourself by picking up a brioche at your local bakery (brownie points if you can find a Sicilian brioche, but not required), and stuffing it with your favorite gelato or ice cream.