Phony Spumoni Recipes

VALERIE'S SPUMONI

Steps:

• Lightly grease a 9-by-5-inch aluminum loaf pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with plastic wrap on all sides, leaving a 2-inch overhang; the cooking spray will help the plastic stick directly to the sides of the pan.
• In a food processor, pulse the chocolate wafers until very fine, like sand. Add the chocolate sauce and pulse a few more times until the mixture comes together. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and firmly press into the bottom of the pan to create a crust. Freeze for 30 minutes to set.
• Meanwhile, remove the chocolate-chocolate chip gelato from the freezer to soften. After 30 minutes, remove the loaf pan from the freezer and spread the chocolate gelato over the crust; use a small offset or rubber spatula to spread the gelato into a flat, even layer. Return the loaf pan to the freezer for another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, let the vanilla bean gelato soften at room temperature.
• When the vanilla gelato has softened, transfer it to a bowl and stir in the sliced Amarena cherries, the Amarena syrup and the red food coloring if using. Mix until the cherries are evenly dispersed and the food coloring is completely incorporated. Remove the loaf pan from the freezer and evenly spread the cherry gelato over the chocolate gelato. Place back in the freezer for at least 1 hour more; it takes longer for the cherry layer to set.
• Thirty minutes before the cherry layer is set, remove the pistachio gelato from the freezer to soften. When softened, spread in an even layer over the cherry gelato; the pistachio layer should come up nearly to the top of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
• When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap from the top of the pan and invert the spumoni onto a cutting board. Gently lift the loaf pan away and remove the remaining plastic wrap. Slice the spumoni into 3/4-inch slices, using a chef's knife dipped in warm water; dip the knife in the warm water between each slice. Serve immediately.

SPUMONI

Steps:

• Evenly layer softened chocolate ice cream into a 9x5x3 in loaf pan. Smooth the surface. Cover and freeze until firm.
• Repeat with pistachio ice cream.
• Combine vanilla ice cream with cherries, nuts and flavoring, mixing well. Even spoon over pistachio layer. Cover and freeze until firm.
• Spread raspberry sherbet over vanilla layer. Smooth the surface. Cover with foil and freeze at least 6 hrs or overnight.
• Run dinner knife around edges of mold. Dip bottom of mold quickly into hot water, place well-chilled serving platter over mold and invert.
• Garnish as desired with cherries, macaroon crumbs or nuts. Slice Spumoni with a knife dipped into hot water.

GIANT SPUMONI HAMANTASCHEN

Steps:

• For the crust: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar and salt. Add the butter and rub together with your fingers until the mixture is crumbly with pea-sized bits of butter. Add the water, almond extract and 1 of the eggs and mix together until it forms a dry and crumbly dough. Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap, press together and flatten into a disc, wrap tightly and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
• To assemble: Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl with 1 teaspoon of water for the egg wash. Set aside.
• On a piece of parchment paper dusted with flour, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle that is about 1/4 inch thick. Trim the edges with a sharp knife or pizza cutter and transfer to a baking sheet using the parchment. Spread on a thin and even layer of the jam, leaving a 2-inch border. Dollop the Frangipane over the jam and gently spread in an even layer. Brush the border with the egg wash. Carefully fold the sides into the center to create a triangle with a 2-inch opening in the center. Pinch to seal where the sides of the dough meet. Brush the egg wash all over the top and sides. Freeze until the dough is firm and cold to the touch, at least 30 minutes.
• Place an oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bake until the crust is golden brown around the edges and the frangipane is set; begin checking at 30 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet to room temperature.
• Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil together over a double boiler (or in the microwave in 30-second increments) until smooth. Drizzle over the hamantaschen and allow to set. Decorate with sprinkles and marzipan masks as desired. Slice in wedges to serve.
• To make the frangipane filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light, fluffy and pale, about 2 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl, as needed. Add the almond extract and egg and beat until the mixture is creamy and homogeneous, about 30 seconds. Mix in the ground pistachios, flour and salt until fully combined.

SPUMONI CAKE JARS

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate, medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, vanilla and egg. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Whisk in the coffee.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out; it will be a thin layer of cake! Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean; begin checking for doneness at 18 minutes.
• Let cool in the pan completely.
• For the frosting: Combine the butter, mascarpone, powdered sugar, salt and lemon zest in a bowl and mix until just combined. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix to combine. Divide the frosting into 2 bowls. Stir the pistachios and green food coloring into one half and the chopped maraschino cherries into the other half.
• To assemble, crumble the cake with your hands and press a small handful into the bottom of a 4-ounce jar, packing firmly, to make a 1/2-inch-thick layer. Spread a layer of frosting (either flavor) on top to make a 1/4-inch layer, then add another 1/2-inch layer of packed cake. Top with a 1/4-inch layer of the other flavor of frosting and smooth out the top. Add a squirt of the canned whipped cream. Finish with a pinch of nonpareils and a whole cherry. Continue with the remaining jars. Serve immediately. (To make ahead, assemble the jars but don't include the canned whipped cream, nonpareils or whole cherries. Refrigerate, covered. Add the whipped cream, nonpareils and whole cherries immediately before serving.)

SPUMONI BOMBE

Steps:

• Coat inside of 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper by cutting two strips, one the width and the other the length of the pan, overlapping them inside the pan. Both should be long enough to generously hang over edges of pan. Place in freezer to chill for 15 minutes. Beat pistachio ice cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until soft but still holding its shape, 1 to 2 minutes. Add pistachios; remove pan from freezer. Transfer pistachio ice cream to pan, forming a 1-inch layer and smoothing with a small offset spatula. Return pan to freezer until the ice cream hardens, about 40 minutes.
• In a small saucepan, combine cherries, rum, and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat (be careful not to ignite); reduce heat; cover pan. Let cherries simmer until all liquid is absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool.
• In a medium bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form; set aside. Soften vanilla ice cream as above. Fold whipped cream into vanilla ice cream. Remove mold from freezer; add a layer of vanilla mixture, smoothing top with a small offset spatula. Return to freezer.
• When vanilla layer is firm to the touch, about 45 minutes, soften chocolate ice cream as above. Add cooled cherries; mix until just combined. Remove mold from freezer; fill to top with chocolate-cherry mixture. Smooth top with an offset spatula; cover with plastic wrap. Return to freezer until completely hardened, about 4 hours or overnight. To unmold, remove from freezer; dip in very hot water for a few seconds. Sprinkle sliced almonds, if using, over chocolate ice cream to keep ice cream from sliding when turned out. Using the overhanging parchment, gently lift ice cream out of pan. Invert onto cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice into servings.

CHERRY SPUMONI

Steps:

• Place milk in a small heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat until bubbles just begin to form around edge of pan. Remove from heat, and add sugar and salt. Stir until dissolved.
• Add half and half, heavy cream, vanilla extract, almond extract and cherry concentrate. Mix well. Transfer to a bowl, and set in an ice water bath until cool, about 10 minutes.
• Coarsely chop cherries, and press between paper towels to remove excess liquid. Add to chilled milk mixture. Begin freezing in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. When ice cream has begun to thicken, after about 10 minutes, add almonds and chopped chocolate. Continue freezing until ice cream is very thick.

SPUMONI ICE CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Remove the lid from the cherry ice cream and let sit at room temperature until the ice cream softens to the consistency of thick cake batter, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the lids from the pistachio and chocolate ice creams and let soften in the refrigerator until the ice creams are softened to the consistency of thick cake batter, 20 to 30 minutes.
• While the ice creams soften, cover the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with one layer of whole amaretti cookies, flat sides down. Put the remaining amaretti in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a heavy pan. Line another 9-inch round cake pan with plastic wrap, leaving a few inches of overhang. Add the crushed cookies and set aside until Step 4.
• On top of the whole cookies in the springform pan, spread the softened cherry ice cream in an even layer. Tap the pan gently on the counter to remove air pockets. Distribute the maraschino cherries over the cherry ice cream, saving a handful for the top of the cake. Spread the softened pistachio ice cream in an even layer on top of the cherries. Tap the pan gently on the counter to remove air pockets. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 2 hours or up to 1 week. (If at any point the ice cream is melting to liquid, pop the cake and ice creams in the freezer to firm to a spoonable consistency.)
• Immediately after placing the cherry and pistachio layers in the freezer, prepare the chocolate layer: Shake to distribute the cookie crumbs evenly in the cake pan. Spread the softened chocolate ice cream in an even layer over the cookies. Press down as you go to adhere the ice cream to the cookies, then tap the pan on the counter to remove air pockets. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 2 hours or up to 1 week.
• Run a knife around the cake in the springform pan, then unmold the springform and transfer the cake to a serving plate. Use the plastic wrap overhang to remove the chocolate ice cream out of the cake pan. Invert the layer onto the pistachio ice cream so the crushed cookies are on top (do not remove the plastic wrap). Freeze until set, about 4 hours or overnight.
• When you're ready to serve, whip the cream with the sugar and salt until stiff peaks form. Remove the cake from the freezer and remove the plastic wrap from the cake. Working quickly, with a spoon or offset spatula, frost the sides and top of the cake with the whipped cream, then decorate with sprinkles and the reserved maraschino cherries. Serve right away. (If you find the cake too solid to cut, run your knife under hot water before slicing and wipe it dry between cuts. Also remember that the first piece is always the trickiest to get out.)

SPUMONI (ITALIAN ICE CREAM LIKE DESSERT)

Steps:

• Chill a 1 quart spumoni mold well.
• If you don't have a spumoni mold, a 1 quart gelatin mold will work very well.
• First Mixture: Combine milk, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla in a sauce pan.
• Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickend (like a pudding).
• Cool mixture.
• Place cooled mixture in a freezer tray and freeze until medium hard (about 2 hours).
• It should be soft enough to spoon out easily, but hard enough to hold its shape.
• Second Mixture: In Bowl, beat heavy cream and sugar together until stiff.
• Gently mix in the cherries, orange peel and almonds.
• Chill the second mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.
• Filling Mold: When first mixture is ready (semi-frozen), remove from freezer tray and line the inside of the chilled mold with it.
• With the back of a spoon, shape a hollow in the middle of the first mixture.
• Fill the hollow with the second mixture.
• Cover the top of the mold with plastic wrap or waxed paper, and freeze for about 2 hours (until very firm).
• To serve, dip mold briefly in warm water and unmold onto a serving plate.
• Cut spumoni into 6-8 portions.

ITALIAN SPUMONI COOKIES

Steps:

• Let cookie dough stand at room temperature 5-10 minutes to soften. In a large bowl, beat cookie dough and 3/4 cup flour until combined. Divide dough into three portions., Add remaining flour, cherries and if desired red food coloring to one portion. Add cocoa and liqueur to the second portion. Add pistachios and if desired green food coloring to the remaining portion., Roll each portion between two pieces of waxed paper into an 8x6-in. rectangle. Remove waxed paper. Place cherry rectangle on a piece of plastic wrap. Layer with chocolate and pistachio rectangles; press together lightly. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight., Preheat oven to 375°. Cut chilled dough in half widthwise. Return one rectangle to the refrigerator. Cut remaining rectangle into 1/4-in. slices. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough., Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool 2 minutes before removing to wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

ALMOND, CHOCOLATE, AND PISTACHIO SPUMONI

Steps:

• Bring milk to a simmer in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat. Whisk together yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Whisk in milk, then transfer mixture to saucepan.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, then boil, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. Immediately strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Divide custard among 3 bowls. To make almond base, whisk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla into 1 bowl; for pistachio base, whisk almond extract and food coloring into another bowl; for chocolate base, whisk cocoa and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla into third bowl.
• Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Chill custards, surfaces covered with parchment paper (to prevent a skin from forming), until cold, at least 6 hours.
• Freeze each custard in ice cream maker, 1 batch at a time (white, then green, then brown). Fold almonds into vanilla custard, then fold pistachios into green custard. Transfer to a shallow 2-quart container or 3 smaller containers and put in freezer to firm up, about 4 hours.

CRAZY SPUMONI

Steps:

• Use a knife to cut the ice cream into three equal pieces. Place the ice cream in three large mixing bowls to soften slightly.
• Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or plastic wrap.
• Mix the dried apricots, apricot preserves, and biscotti with a third of the ice cream and press into the bottom of the loaf pan. Place in freezer while preparing the next layer.
• Mix the chocolate bar pieces, chocolate syrup, and amaretto with another third of the ice cream. Gently spread on top of the first layer in the loaf pan. Place in freezer while preparing the last layer.
• Mix the almonds and almond extract with the last of the ice cream. Gently spread the final layer on top of the loaf pan.
• Allow ice cream to harden in freezer for at least two hours.
• Remove from loaf pan and slice when ready to serve. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and dust with cocoa powder.

SPUMONI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Mix cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate. Bake 10 min.; cool completely.
• Reserve 1 cherry for garnish; chop remaining cherries. Mix cream cheese, sugar and cherry juice in medium bowl until blended. Stir in 1 cup COOL WHIP and chopped cherries. Spread onto bottom of crust. Refrigerate 20 min.
• Beat pistachio pudding mix and 1-1/4 cups milk with whisk 2 min.; spread over cream cheese layer in crust. Refrigerate 20 min.
• Meanwhile, melt 2 oz. chocolate as directed on package; cool. Make chocolate curls from remaining chocolate piece.
• Beat chocolate pudding mix and remaining milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in melted chocolate and 1 cup of the remaining COOL WHIP; spread over pistachio layer in crust. Refrigerate 20 min.
• Top with remaining COOL WHIP. Refrigerate 4 hours. Garnish with chocolate curls and reserved cherry just before serving.

SPUMONI CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour and baking soda; set aside.
• Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in the instant pudding mix until well combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips, cherries, and pistachios. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased baking pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until light brown, about 10 minutes.