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Spumone napoletano
Layered gelato dessert
Spumone: Naples's moulded layers of gelato and semifreddo with candied fruit and nuts
Spumone was the grand dessert of Neapolitan cafés in the 1800s, later carried to America by emigrants: a dome or brick of layered frozen desserts, usually chocolate and pistachio gelato around a soft centre of semifreddo with candied fruit and nuts. In Naples it is served at weddings and Christmas, cut into slices that show all the colours. The traditional semifreddo is flavoured with rum; this version uses orange zest and vanilla so it is alcohol free. Contains nuts. Chef's tip: freeze each layer until firm before adding the next; soft layers melt into each other and lose their stripes.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the layers
- 2 cups pistachio gelatohomemade or good shop-bought
- 2 cups chocolate gelato
For the semifreddo
- 2 ⅞ oz caster sugar
- 2 ½ tbsp water
- 1 cup double cream
- 2 ⅛ oz candied fruitdiced
- 1 oz toasted almondschopped
- 1 orangezest only
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Line a 1.5 litre bowl or loaf tin with cling film and chill it in the freezer.
Step 2: Soften 2 cups pistachio gelato for 10 minutes, spread it in a layer over the bottom and sides of the mould and freeze for 1 hour, until firm. Do the same with 2 cups chocolate gelato over the pistachio and freeze again for 1 hour.
20 minStep 3: Make the semifreddo: boil 2 ⅞ oz caster sugar and 2 ½ tbsp water for 2 minutes. Whisk 3 egg yolks, then pour in the hot syrup in a thin stream, whisking, and keep whisking over a pan of simmering water until it reaches 160°F and is thick and pale. Cool, still whisking.
8 minStep 4: Whip 1 cup double cream to soft peaks and fold it into the yolks with 2 ⅛ oz candied fruit, 1 oz toasted almonds, the zest of 1 orange and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Step 5: Fill the centre of the mould, smooth and cover. Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight. Common mistake: not freezing each layer firm; the colours blur.
Step 6: Turn out onto a cold plate 10 minutes before serving and cut into slices with a hot knife.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does spumone napoletano take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of double cream?
- Whipping cream, same amount (less rich; whips softer).
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