This Spumoni Lets Store-Bought Ice Cream Do the Hard Work

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 0 mins

Freeze Time: 6 hrs

Total: 6 hrs 20 mins

Servings: 8 servings

Yield: 1 standard loaf pan (8 ½”x 4 ½”x 2 ½”)

There is a lot of discussion on the background and origins of spumoni so I am going to try and break it down as simply as possible. Spumoni refers to a frozen dessert that originated in Italy and is typically layered with nuts, fruit, and chocolate.

Why is it Called Spumoni?

When Italian immigrants brought the dessert to the United States, it was made with strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate ice creams; this combination of flavors then became known as Neapolitan, named after the city of Naples, from which many of these immigrants came. The pistachio, cherry, chocolate combination became known as spumoni.

Some argue that the original spumoni was actually a semifreddo, a frozen dessert which is made by frothing egg yolks with cooked sugar syrup then folding in whipped cream. The word spumoni comes from the Italian word spuma, which means foam.

When I was in high school one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants was called Spumoni. I always went with my same two friends and I always wanted to skip over the dinner portion and go straight to dessert. That was the first spumoni I had.

It came served in one of those antique silver coupes, like what you would get at an old school ice cream parlor and soda shop. Theirs was served in scoops, each layer studded with extra flavors and textures. The pistachio had whole pistachios, the cherry was packed with maraschino cherries, and the chocolate had chunks of semisweet chips.

Each coupe came with 2 scoops and was topped with hot fudge sauce and a perfect rosette of whipped cream; and of course, a cherry on top. I was (and still am) obsessed with maraschino cherries, and that was the first time I had the pistachio-cherry-chocolate combo. I think my brain exploded from how well the flavors complement each other.

How To Make Spumoni

Good news is it’s easier than ever to make spumoni at home, all you need is a standard sized loaf pan and enough patience to wait to eat it. For the sake of ease and time I am using store bought ice cream. I suggest getting your favorite brand.

I prefer premium ice creams and natural pistachio and cherry flavors vs. the super bright green and pink, but that’s totally up to you. The mix-ins can be customized as well. If you don’t love maraschino cherries like me, feel free to use pitted fresh or frozen or amarena cherries.

Tips for Making Spumoni

How to line the pan — Cut one strip of parchment or wax paper into a 4 x 16-inch rectangle. Cut another strip into an 8 x 12-inch rectangle. Center the first strip to fit the skinny way inside the pan folding it up the edges, then lay the second strip crosswise on top. Use your finger to really crease the paper into the edges of the pan so you will get a smooth spumoni.
Softening the ice cream — It took my ice cream 20 minutes to get to a soft enough consistency in a room that was 72 F. If your room is hotter or colder, you should adjust your tempering time appropriately. The goal is to keep the ice cream as frozen as possible without it being too hard to spread. If the ice cream gets too soft, the consistency will be more crystallized and icy once it’s refrozen. We don’t want that.
How long to freeze each layer — One hour between each layer was more than enough time for it to freeze for me. But you should make sure each layer is really hard before adding the next so you can get distinct lines on the final product.
When releasing the spumoni from the pan — Be careful running the pan under hot water, do not get the ice cream or inside of the pan wet.

“Making this spumoni recipe was so easy and fun. Three pints of ice cream plus some delicious add-ins are transformed into an exceptional frozen dessert that would be a fitting end to a summer barbecue or dinner party. And the best part is the recipe is endlessly customizable to suit your tastes. Definitely a keeper!” —Joan Velush

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

1 pint pistachio ice cream, divided
1/3 cup whole roasted unsalted pistachios
1 pint cherry vanilla ice cream, divided
1/3 cup maraschino cherries, drained and patted dry
1 pint chocolate ice cream, divided
1/3 cup chocolate chunks

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients. Line a standard sized loaf pan with parchment or wax paper. Place it in the freezer to chill. Meanwhile, let the pistachio ice cream soften at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Remove the loaf pan from the freezer and add about half of the pistachio ice cream to the bottom of the pan. Use the back of a spoon or a small offset spatula to spread it evenly over the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the pistachios all over.
Top with the remaining half of the pistachio ice cream. Smooth it into an even layer making sure all the corners and crevices are filled. Place the pan back in the freezer to harden, about 1 hour.
20 minutes before the hour is up remove the cherry vanilla ice cream from the freezer to soften. Remove the loaf pan from the freezer and spread about half of the cherry vanilla ice cream evenly on top of the pistachio ice cream. Add the maraschino cherries all over the cherry ice cream.
Top with the remaining half of the cherry ice cream. Spread it into an even layer and freeze until hard, about 1 hour.
20 minutes before the hour is up remove the chocolate ice cream to soften. Spread about half of the chocolate ice cream over the cherry ice cream. Sprinkle chocolate chunks all over the top.
Top with the remaining half of the chocolate ice cream. Place another piece of parchment or wax paper touching the surface of the ice cream and put it in the freezer for at least 4 hours more, or overnight.
Carefully run the loaf pan edges under hot water, a few seconds on each side. This will help the spumoni release.
Grab a plate large enough to hold the spumoni loaf. Remove the top layer of parchment or wax paper and place the plate on top of the loaf pan. Invert the whole thing and carefully shimmy the pan off the spumoni. Remove the rest of the parchment or wax paper. Cut into slices and serve.

How To Store Spumoni

The spumoni should be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Recipe Variations

Using homemade ice cream—If desired, you can make the ice creams from scratch, but be prepared to wait a full day after churning the ice cream before making the spumoni. You want the ice cream to start out nice and frozen to avoid a gloppy mess.
Cherry substitutions—I used cherry vanilla but you could also use straight up vanilla or cherry ice cream. You can also substitute amarena cherries if you don’t like maraschinos.
Chocolate swaps—You could use any chocolate chips, chocolate cookie bits, or even a fudge swirl in the chocolate layer.
Serving suggestions—Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or marshmallow fluff and more maraschino cherries if desired.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories	300
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g	24%
Saturated Fat 10g	49%
Cholesterol 47mg	16%
Sodium 77mg	3%
Total Carbohydrate 32g	12%
Dietary Fiber 2g	7%
Total Sugars 28g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 1mg	6%
Calcium 100mg	8%
Iron 1mg	5%
Potassium 270mg	6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.