Spumoni – Part 2 – Recipe Extraordinaire

Hi, there. I’m so glad you came back! Today’s post promises to be a yummy one! It’s a bit involved but so worth the effort. There is nothing quite like a batch of homemade ice cream, regardless of the country of its origin. So, here goes:

Typically, the ice cream is placed in a mold that resembles a “bomb”…the cherry cream being in the center, the pistachio next and the chocolate layer on top. If you don’t have a mold, you can use a large loaf pan or large Tupperware or plastic container to freeze the ice cream as you assemble it. The loaf configuration is referred to as terrine. You’ll also need an ice cream freezer to freeze the ice cream as you make it.

Spumoni Ice Cream – Terrine style

• 3 cups each of chocolate ice cream, pistachio ice cream and Spumoni cherry ice cream – all three recipes will follow.
• Get a large loaf pan or Tupperware or plastic container and line it with plastic wrap, being sure to overlap it in the pan and allow for some overhang around all four sides.
• Spread the 3 cups of chocolate ice cream onto the bottom of the pan / container.
• Cover this with plastic wrap and freeze for a minimum of 30 minutes or until slightly hardened (you may wish to freeze it longer to allow the layers to be more solid when adding the additional ones on top).
• After appropriate freezing time, remove the top plastic wrap and repeat the above steps with the pistachio and the cherry ice creams, freezing between each layer.
• To serve, run a sharp knife under hot water and wipe dry. Slice down through the layers to get a multi-colored / flavored slab of Spumoni.

Chocolate Ice Cream

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons Dutch-process Cocoa powder
• 5 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
• 1 cup whole milk
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 5 large egg yolks
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
• In a medium saucepan, heat 1 cup of the cream with the cocoa powder.
• Whisk this to completely mix the cocoa powder.
• After bringing the mixture to a boil, lower the heat and simmer the mixture at a very low boil for 30 seconds while you whisk continually.
• Take the mixture off the heat and stir in the chopped chocolate, mixing until smooth.
• Add the remaining 1 cup of cream, stirring to blend.
• Place the mixture into a large bowl and place a mesh strainer on top of the bowl.
• Be sure to scrape the saucepan as thoroughly as you can.
• Using the same saucepan, add the milk, sugar and salt and heat to just warm.
• Using a separate mixing bowl of medium size, whisk the egg yolks and slowly add the warmed milk mixture to it stirring continuously with the wire whisk.
• Return the now warmed egg yolk mixture to the saucepan, scraping the saucepan as thoroughly as you can.
• Heat the mixture over medium heat with a heat-proof spatula or spoon until the mixture coats stirring utensil, or until an instant-read thermometer shows 170 degrees. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the saucepan as you stir it.
• Now, add this mixture into the chocolate mixture by pouring it through the mesh strainer you placed over the first bowl in the earlier step. You’ll need to stir it until it is smooth.
• When this mixture is smooth, you can then add the vanilla.
• Prepare an ice bath by running cold water in your sink or a larger container than the bowl you’re now using and then place ice cubes in it. Place the bowl into the ice bath and stir until it is cooled as it will be pretty hot at this point.
• Once the chocolate mixture is cooled, the next step is to chill thoroughly it in the refrigerator.
• Once thoroughly chilled, it can be frozen in your ice cream freezer according to the manufacturer instructions.
• If you find that your chocolate mixture is too thick to pour into the ice cream freezer machine, just whip it vigorously until it thins out.
• Once the ice cream is churned, stir in the chopped hazelnuts with a rubber spatula.

Pistachio Ice Cream This recipe doesn’t make a really green colored pistachio ice cream because it uses all natural ingredients. If you want the brighter green color, feel free to add a couple of drops of green food coloring to the mix.

• 1 1/3 cups shelled pistachio nuts
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• Pinch of salt
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ¾ cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
• Using your food processor, process the 1 1/3 cups of pistachios until finely ground, but not to a paste. Set this aside.
• Heat the milk, sugar, 1 cup of the cream, and salt in a medium saucepan, stir constantly to dissolve the sugar.
• Add in the ground nuts and stir to blend.
• Cover the saucepan, remove from the heat, and let the mixture steep for at least 30 minutes.
• Strain the warm nut mixture — press on the nuts to extract as much liquid as possible, and then discard the solids.
• Place the milk and cream mixture back into the saucepan.
• Pour the remaining 1 cup cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
• Whisk the egg yolks together in a separate medium sized bowl.
• Slowly pour the heated mixture into the egg yolks, continuously whisking. Be sure to scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
• Using a heatproof spatula or spoon, stir the mixture continuously over medium heat, be sure to scrape the bottom as you stir. Continue to stir until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula or spoon.
• Add the custard through the strainer and mix it into the cream with your spatula or whisk.
• Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix until combined.
• Refrigerate until cold.
• Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.
• Once the churning is completed, fold in the ¾ cup pistachios with a rubber spatula.

Spumoni Cherry Ice Cream

• 1½ cups pitted ripe sweet cherries (from about 3/4 lb cherries)
• ¾ cup whole milk
• 1¾ cups heavy cream
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons Amaretto, cherry liqueur, or rum (optional)
• ¼ cup chopped maraschino cherries, patted completely dry
• ¼ cup pineapple chunks, coarsely chopped and patted completely dry
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped almonds
• Into a medium saucepan, place the cherries, milk, 1 cup of the cream, sugar, and salt.
• On medium heat, cook the mixture until it is steamy.
• Reduce the heat to warm and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring with a rubber spatula and scraping the bottom of the pan.
• Cover the saucepan and let the mixture steep for at least 30 minutes.
• Add the mixture into a blender or food processor, or an immersion blender, and carefully purée. Be sure to be careful because you are dealing with a hot liquid. Be sure you hold the cap down securely on the top of the blender while puréeing.
• Strain mixture into a large bowl.
• Mix in the remaining 3/4 cup of heavy cream.
• Chill this mixture for several hours in the refrigerator. It needs to be completely cold.
• Put the chopped maraschino cherries and pineapple chunks on a plate on a single layer and freeze until the ice cream is churned.
• Before placing the mixture into your ice cream maker, you’ll need to stir in the lemon juice and the Amaretto or other liqueur if you are using these. Note… that you can skip the alcohol if you want, but the addition of it will help keep the ice cream from getting too icy, and the amaretto can add a nice flavor boost to the ice cream.
• Churn the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Once the churning is complete, add in the cherries, pineapple and almonds with a rubber spatula.