Spumoni Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Spumoni, a classic Italian dessert, is known for its colorful, bright layers—most feature three, one of which is a fruit or nut layer—and an abundance of textures. It may look fancy, but it's very easy to make, as the freezer does most of the heavy lifting, and you can experiment with lots of different flavors. This version features an outer layer that gets additional zing and a beautiful color thanks to the addition of Frangelico, an Italian hazelnut liqueur. The inner layer is made up of candied cherries, candied orange peel, cherry brandy, and chopped pistachios (which are the nuts traditionally used in spumoni), but you can sub in any kind of candied fruit and nuts you have on hand. Instead of a layer of chocolate gelato or ice cream, which is also traditional, this recipe calls for garnishing with a sweet, delicious homemade chocolate syrup, which is quickly made with some sugar, water, cocoa powder, and heavy cream. You could also build the layers with strawberry and pistachio gelato or ice cream.

This is definitely a great dessert recipe to make ahead, since the assembled spumoni can hang out in the freezer until it's ready to go, and you can keep the chocolate syrup chilling in the fridge as well. It'll be a showstopper of a treat that would round out any dinner, be it casual or fancy. Just be sure to slice the spumoni (never scoop!) for the prettiest presentation—and it also helps to dip your knife into warm water between each slice for the cleanest cut. —The Editors

Directions

1. Outer layer
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the egg yolks, milk, and salt, whisking to combine. Add the granulated sugar and cook, whisking frequently, until the sugar melts and the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and let cool. Stir in the Frangelico. Pour the mixture into a 2-quart mold or loaf pan. Place in the freezer and freeze until nearly firm.

1. Chocolate syrup and inner layer
2. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, boil the granulated sugar and water until the sugar melts. Add the cocoa powder and return to a boil, stirring, until the cocoa is dissolved into a syrup. Add ¾ cup cream, stirring, and return to a boil. Remove from the heat and store the chocolate syrup in the refrigerator until ready to use.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the remaining 1 cup cream until stiff. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat just to combine. Fold in the cherries, pistachios, orange peel, and brandy.
4. Remove the mold from the freezer. Using a rubber spatula, gently spread the egg mixture up the sides and on the bottom of the mold. Pour the cream mixture into the center. Smooth the top, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until firm.
5. Unmold and slice into pieces. Garnish with the chocolate syrup and pistachios.