An Italian ice-cream maker has won a prestigious culinary award for her fanciful flavours created over the last 4 years.

Owner, Cristina Simper received one gold star in the Great Taste Awards 2022 for her new creation – Raspberry and Mascarpone gelato produced in her home kitchen in Wokingham.

Riviera Dei Gelati was established in 2018 following her families move to Wokingham. Her aim to turn her passion for ice-cream into a business that brings moth-watering gelato to the public.

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She said: “It all started when my friend brought over an ice-cream maker, and I started to play and experiment with different flavours. We started off with orange and cherry and at first it was only for my friends and family.

“I had just had my second child and wanted to do something for myself, so I bought my own ice-cream maker and asked a few friends from Italy for recipes and advice.”

In 2018 Cristina started by adding more flavours to her menu, while putting traditional Italian procedures in place to create real authentic homemade ice-cream.

Rasberry and Mascerpone is one of her latest and best sellers along with other flavours that are often only available in Italy.

Cristina explained: “I’m a foodie, I like food and playing with flavours, but I also like traditional classic ice-cream flavours as well that are popular with everyone.

“There’s some that you might find in Italy, and you won’t find in the UK market. This includes honey, and Stracciatella which is a very traditional Italian flavour made with milk and chocolate chip.

“I wanted to make something a bit different otherwise people could just easily go to the supermarket to pick up a tub.”

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All ice-creams made for Riviera dei gelati, named after Cristina’s home region of Italy – Riviera dei Fiori – are made with 100% fresh ingredients.

With no additives or preservatives – unlike some brands – each individual batch is made fresh and bespoke for that specific order.

For some of the very specific and special ice-cream flavours, traditional Italian techniques are used to make sure that it is made to the highest and most authentic standard.

“My ice-cream is very different to any other brand. There is no competition to anything sold in the supermarket and I aim to show people how different my ice-cream is compared to anything else out there,” she added.

Riviera dei Gelato has received stellar reviews on the internet and is often known as the ‘best kept secret in Berkshire.’