Elegant Italian Dessert
Sophisticated Ice Cream Recipe: Spumone di Caffe e Vaniglia
This recipe for homemade ice cream, is for a sophisticated Spumone di Caffe e Vaniglia, an ideal Italian dessert.
Spumone Di Caffe e Vaniglia Recipe (Vanilla and Coffee Ice Cream Dome)
A spumone is made in a stampo da spumoni – a specially designed dome-shaped mould with a lid. This recipe is taken, with permission, from Ices Italia by Linda Tubby ( (Pavilion RRP £20) and looks so stunning that it would make a fantastic dinner party dessert. Many of these desserts date back to the medieval period, when it was fashionable to make replicas of the many domed churches, and the dome is still a popular shape for Italian desserts. The spumone has two layers of gelato and a semi-freddo filling that never gets completely rock hard.
Ingredients (Serves 6)
- 1/2 quantity Gelato di Crema mixture (basic ice-cream, read recipe), churned and frozen, then softened slightly in the refrigerator
- 1/2 quantity of Gelato di Caffè (read recipe), churned and frozen, then softened slightly in the refrigerator
- 35 g/11/4 oz/scant 1/4 cup dried figs, chopped into small pieces
- 35 g/11/4 oz/scant 1/4 cup dried, ready-to-eat apricots
- 15 g/1/2 oz/scant 1/8 cup pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
- 1/2 quantity of Semifreddo di Cassata (see below), frozen
For the espresso sauce
- 250 g/9 oz/11/4 cups caster (superfine) sugar
- 125 ml/4 fl oz/1/2 cup strong espresso
- 2 tbsp Frangelico liqueur
For the Semifreddo di Cassata
- 284 ml/scant 10fl oz/ scant 1 ¼ cups whipping cream
- 50 ml / 2 fl oz/ ¼ cup Strega liqueur
- 100g/ 4oz / ½ cup caster (superfine) sugar
- 1 sachet dried egg white powder
Method
To make the espresso sauce:
- Put the ingredients into a saucepan and heat gently for about 4 minutes to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat and boil until reduced to a thick syrup. Leave to cool then chill until needed.
To make the Semifreddo:
(This is usually made with candied fruits, but the spumone requires a basic version.
- Put the cream, Strega and half the sugar in a bowl and whip until it holds a shape. Reconstitute and whisk the dried egg white following the packet instructions. Gradually whisk in the remaining sugar until soft peaks form.
- Fold the two mixtures together gently. Transfer to a freezerproof container and freeze overnight.
(NB. The spumone only uses half of the semifreddo you will make. The remainder can be used as a delicious dessert on its own or with fruit.)
To make the Spumone di Caffe e Vaniglia
- Prepare the Gelato di Crema, Gelato di Caffe and Semifreddo first.
- When the gelato is pliable line the sides of a 1.25 litre/2 pint/5 cup capacity bowl with the Gelato di Crema to about 1.5 cm/5/8 inch thick leaving a hole in the middle. Freeze for 45 minutes.
- Repeat with the Gelato di Caffè and refreeze for a further 45 minutes.
- Add the chopped fruits and pistachios to the Semifreddo di Cassata and spoon into the remaining hole in the centre. Smooth the top, cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and freeze overnight.
- One hour and 40 minutes before serving unmould the dessert by dipping the bowl carefully into hot water to loosen the gelato.
- Wipe the bowl and invert onto a small board or tray. Give it a sharp tap and it will fall out. Wipe any melted gelato from around the base and freeze for 11/2 hours.
- Remove from the freezer and transfer to the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate, cut into 6 wedges and serve with the espresso sauce.
Read a review of Ices Italia.
