Italian · Desserts

Spumoni

Layered Italian ice cream of chocolate, pistachio and cherry in a loaf tin, assembled in 40 minutes and frozen for 6 hours.

40 min prep and cooking plus 6 hr Freezing 6 hr 40 min start to finish Serves 10 servings Medium
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Spumoni

Photograph credit: Spumoni by WODUP · CC BY 3.0 us · Wikimedia Commons

Storing and Planning Ahead

Keeps for 1 month in the freezer, wrapped.

Making Spumoni

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  1. Line a 1 kg loaf tin with cling film, leaving an overhang.

  2. Soften the chocolate ice cream for 10 minutes and press it over the base in an even layer. Freeze for 1 hour.

  3. Soften the pistachio ice cream and spread it on top. Freeze for 1 hour.

  4. Whip the cream with the icing sugar and almond extract to soft peaks and fold in the cherries and amaretti. Spread over the pistachio layer.

  5. Cover with the film overhang and freeze for 4 hours.

  6. Turn out, peel off the film, scatter with the pistachios and slice with a knife dipped in hot water.

Tips for Success

  • Freeze each layer until firm before adding the next.
  • Soften the ice cream for only 10 minutes.
  • Dip the knife in hot water for neat slices.

Behind the Recipe

Chocolate ice cream, pistachio ice cream, cream with cherries: three flavours, one tin, and no machine needed. Spumoni is a layered Italian ice cream, and the simplest way to make it is to soften shop-bought ice cream and layer it.

Line a 1 kg loaf tin with cling film. Work in layers and freeze each until firm to the touch before adding the next, about 1 hour each, or they will blend into one muddy colour. Soften the ice cream on the work surface for 10 minutes, no more, so it spreads but does not run. Press each layer level with the back of a spoon.

The third layer is whipped cream folded with chopped glacé cherries, a little almond extract and crushed amaretti. Top with a final layer of cling film and freeze for at least 4 hours more. To serve, turn the block out onto a board, peel off the film and slice with a knife dipped in hot water. It keeps for a month.

Serving Ideas

Wafer biscuits · Espresso · Fresh cherries

Spumoni FAQ

How long does Spumoni take to make?

40 minutes of preparation and of cooking, plus 6 hours of Freezing, so allow 6 hours 40 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 10.

Nutrition per Serving

Per serving, an approximate calculation from the ingredient list. Treat it as a rough guide: part of the energy comes from foods, or weights per item, with no recorded source. How the figures are worked out.

384Calories
5gProtein
37gCarbs
24gFat
1gFibre
33gSugar
90mgSodium

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Compiled by Turab

Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked.

First published ; last changed .