Hello. I’m so glad you’re back! Today’s post promises to be delicious! It’s a bit tricky, but it’s worth the effort. There’s nothing like a batch of homemade ice cream, regardless of the country of origin. So here it goes:

Usually, the ice cream is placed in a mold that looks like a “bomb”… the cherry cream is in the center, the pistachio next to it, and the chocolate layer on top. If you don’t have a pan, you can use a large loaf pan or a large Tupperware or plastic container to freeze the ice cream while you make it. The configuration of the bread is known as a terrine. You will also need an ice cream freezer to freeze the ice cream as you make it.

Spumoni Ice Cream – Terrine Style

• 3 cups of Spumoni Chocolate Ice Cream, Pistachio Ice Cream, and Cherry Ice Cream – all three recipes will follow.
• Get a large loaf pan or a Tupperware or plastic container and cover it with plastic wrap, making sure to overlap the pan and let it overhang all four sides.
• Spread the 3 cups of chocolate ice cream in 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 want to freeze it longer to allow the layers to be more solid when you add additional ones on top).
• After the appropriate freezing time, remove the top plastic wrap and repeat the above steps with the cherry and pistachio ice creams, freezing between each layer.
• To serve, run a sharp knife under hot water and pat dry. Cut the layers to obtain a piece of Spumoni of various colors and flavors.

chocolate ice cream

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons dutch process cocoa powder
• 5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet 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 fully mix in the cocoa powder.
• After the mixture boils, lower the heat and simmer the mixture for 30 seconds while whisking continuously.
• Remove mixture from heat and add chopped chocolate, mixing until smooth.
• Add the remaining 1 cup of cream, stirring to combine.
• Place the mixture in a large bowl and place a mesh strainer on top of the bowl.
• Make sure to scrape the pan as thoroughly as you can.
• Using the same saucepan, add the milk, sugar and salt and heat until lukewarm.
• Using a separate medium sized mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and slowly add the warm milk mixture stirring continuously with the wire whisk.
• Return the now heated egg yolk mixture to the saucepan, scraping the saucepan as thoroughly as you can.
• Heat the mixture over medium heat with a heatproof spatula or spoon until the mixture covers the stirring utensil, or until an instant-read thermometer shows 170 degrees. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir.
• Now add this mixture to the chocolate mixture by pouring it through the mesh strainer you placed over the first bowl in the previous step. You will have to stir it until it is smooth.
• When this mixture is smooth, you can add the vanilla.
• Prepare an ice bath by running cold water in your sink or in a container larger than the bowl you are using now and then put ice cubes in it. Place the bowl in the ice bath and stir until cool, as it will be quite hot at this point.
• Once the chocolate mixture has cooled, the next step is to chill it completely in the refrigerator.
• Once well chilled, it can be frozen in your ice cream freezer according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• If you find that your chocolate mixture is too thick to pour into the freezer ice cream maker, simply whisk vigorously until thinned.
• Once the ice cream is churned, add the chopped hazelnuts using a rubber spatula.

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

• 1 1/3 cups shelled pistachios
• 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. Put this aside.
• Heat milk, sugar, 1 cup of the cream, and salt in a medium saucepan, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar.
• Add the ground walnuts and stir to mix.
• Cover the saucepan, remove from the heat, and let the mixture sit for at least 30 minutes.
• Strain warm nut mixture; squeeze the nuts to extract as much of the liquid as possible, then discard the solids.
• Return the milk and cream mixture to the saucepan.
• Pour the remaining 1 cup of cream into a large bowl and place a mesh strainer on top.
• Beat the egg yolks in a separate medium bowl.
• Slowly pour the heated mixture into the egg yolks, beating continuously. Be sure to scrape the heated egg yolks back into the saucepan.
• Using a heatproof spatula or spoon, stir mixture continuously over medium heat, making sure to scrape bottom as you stir. Continue stirring until mixture thickens and coats spatula or spoon.
• Add the pastry cream 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 instructions.
• Once you’ve finished beating, stir in the ¾ cup pistachios with a rubber spatula.

Spumoni Cherry Ice Cream

• 1½ cups pitted ripe sweet cherries (from about 3/4 lb. of cherries)
• ¾ cup whole milk
• 1¾ cups heavy cream
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons amaretto, cherry liqueur, or rum (optional)
• ¼ cup chopped maraschino cherries, completely dried
• ¼ cup pineapple chunks, coarsely chopped and bone dry
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped almonds
• In a medium saucepan, place cherries, milk, 1 cup cream, sugar, and salt.
• Over medium heat, cook the mixture until steaming.
• Reduce heat to warm and simmer 5 minutes, stirring with a rubber spatula and scraping bottom of pan.
• Cover the saucepan and let the mixture sit for at least 30 minutes.
• Add the mixture to a blender or food processor, or an immersion blender, and carefully puree. Be sure to be careful because this is a hot liquid. Be sure to hold the lid firmly on top of the blender while pureeing.
• Strain the mixture into a large bowl.
• Stir in remaining 3/4 cup heavy cream.
• Chill this mixture for several hours in the refrigerator. It has to be completely cold.
• Arrange the chopped maraschino cherries and pineapple chunks on a plate in a single layer and freeze until the ice cream is churned.
• Before you put the mixture in the ice cream maker, you’ll need to add the lemon juice and the Amaretto or other liqueur if you’re using them. Note…you can omit the alcohol if you like, but adding it will help keep the ice cream from freezing too hard, and the amaretto can add a nice flavor to the ice cream.
• Churn the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Once the smoothie is complete, add the cherries, pineapple, and almonds using a rubber spatula.