What passes for "ice cream" in the English speaking world has often been "ice confection" which is a good approximation. I don't know the difference, but I suspect it has something to do with the quantity of milk in the making.

However, when I was learning Italian at school, my teacher - who had spent quite some time in Italy - said that although "gelato" is Italian for "ice cream", it is actually made substantially differently and is therefore a somewhat different product. Thus the reason for the original borrowing of the term from Italian to English. It is likely that this may no longer be the case.

Wade.