Spumoni Recipe

Warm dairy

In a medium saucepan, combine whole milk, 1 cup of the heavy cream, and the scraped vanilla seeds plus pod (or 1 tsp vanilla). Warm over medium heat until it just begins to steam and small bubbles form at the edge, but do not boil.

Whisk yolks and sugar

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt until pale and slightly thickened.

Temper eggs

Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks in a thin stream while whisking constantly to temper. Then pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture.

Cook custard

Cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not let it boil.

Finish and chill

Remove from heat. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove the vanilla pod and any cooked bits. Stir in the remaining 1 cup heavy cream. Cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin and chill in the refrigerator until fully cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Melt chocolate

Place chopped bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder in a heatproof bowl. Warm the hot espresso (or coffee) and pour over the chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth and glossy. If needed, briefly microwave in 10-second bursts or use a double boiler to finish. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature but remain pourable.

Make pistachio paste

In a food processor, grind the shelled pistachios until they form a coarse paste. Add 1–2 tablespoons of neutral oil or a splash of warmed heavy cream if the nuts are too dry, and process until smooth. Stir in the pistachio paste (if using) and optional green food coloring to adjust color. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.

Blend into base

Reserve about 1/3 of the chilled custard base for the pistachio layer. Stir the pistachio paste into the custard until uniformly green and aromatic. If the mixture is too thick, thin with a tablespoon or two of cream.

Churn ice cream base

Churn the remaining chilled custard base in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency. Divide the churned base into three roughly equal portions in separate bowls: one for plain (or cherry-studded) layer, one for chocolate, one for pistachio (already prepared).

Fold mix-ins

To the plain portion, fold in about 3/4 cup of the quartered candied cherries and the chopped candied citrus peel. To the pistachio portion, fold in the toasted chopped pistachios (reserve a tablespoon for garnish). Fold gently to keep airiness.

Layering

Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan (or terrine mold) with plastic wrap leaving overhang for easier removal. Spoon or dollop the pistachio layer evenly into the bottom third of the pan and smooth. Drizzle or spoon the chocolate layer over the next third; you can swirl slightly with a knife to create marbling. Finally, add the cherry-studded plain layer to fill the pan, pressing lightly to remove large air pockets. Sprinkle the reserved chopped pistachios and a few extra candied cherries on top for decoration.

Freeze

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or overnight. For best texture, let the spumoni sit at room temperature 6–10 minutes before scooping.

Unmold the spumoni using the plastic overhang and slice or scoop into portions. Serve chilled, optionally with extra candied fruit or a drizzle of melted chocolate.