Spumoni is an Italian layered dessert consisting of ice cream, whipped cream, nuts, and candied fruits such as cherries. It's also often described as a layered and molded custard-based ice cream on the outside and a semifreddo or parfait inside.
Originally, spumoni was made as a combination of ice cream, nuts, and fruits surrounding a sponge cake, but today the term can denote any layered ice cream. The most popular flavors used in spumoni are cherry, pistachio, and vanilla (or chocolate), with red, green, and white colors representing the Italian flag.
The dessert is widely enjoyed in Italy, but it is also popular in Argentina and the United States of America due to a large number of immigrants who popularized spumoni in those countries.
Strawberry gelato traditionally employs less dairy than the cream, chocolate, or nut based varieties. It should always be prepared with fresh strawberries that are usually puréed and then blended with water, lemon juice, and whipped cream.
When thoroughly frozen, gelato fragola is characterized by its firm, creamy consistency, light pink color, and a refreshing and intense strawberry flavor.
MOST ICONIC Gelato alla fragola
View moreThis gelato variety is characterized by a subtle coffee flavor which is achieved with the addition of strong coffee to the base of milk, cream, eggs, and sugar. Alternatively, the base can be infused with roasted coffee beans. Caffè gelato is a great substitute for a traditional coffee, especially in the warm summer months.
The classic version is occasionally enriched with chocolate chips, while the gelato may come in the robust espresso version or as the more subtle mocha or café au lait gelato. In Italy, all varieties are popular and are found in numerous gelaterias throughout the country.
MOST ICONIC Gelato di caffè
View moreGelato al melone is a refreshing Italian gelato flavor made with fresh melons (cantaloupes). It is usually made with milk, eggs, sugar, and cream. The melons are pureed before they are added to the base. Variations sometimes leave out eggs or include condensed milk or mascarpone cheese.
This light and refreshing gelato is available in many ice cream shops in Italy, and it is typically a seasonal summer flavor.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Gelato all'amarena is a traditional gelato flavor that incorporates amarena cherry preserve. The base is neutral, usually made with vanilla-flavored ice cream or with fior di latte flavor made with milk, cream, and sugar. This neural base is then streaked with amarena syrup and cherries.
Amarena cherries are native to Emilia-Romagna. These dark, wild cherries are usually preserved in syrup and are then used as a topping or garnish.
Tartufo is a dome-shaped, frozen Italian dessert that is prepared with various gelato flavors that are sculpted around different fillings. Although the original tartufo hails from Pizzo and combines dark chocolate filling, hazelnut ice cream, and cocoa powder, this classic nowadays comes in a number of modern versions that significantly differ from the original.
Any gelato flavor can be used in its preparation, and while the fillings may include fruits, cookies, or maraschino cherries, the coatings range from chocolate shells, ground or chopped nuts, cookie crumbs, or desiccated coconut.
VARIATIONS OF Tartufo
Peach gelato is one of the classic fruit-based gelato flavors. It is prepared with ripe puréed peaches that are either incorporated with milk, cream, eggs, and sugar, or combined with water, lemon juice, and whipped cream to create the base of the gelato.
If made with fresh peaches, the gelato should have a light orange color, while the vibrant-colored varieties may signal a use of artificial ingredients. Gelato alla pesca is characterized by its subtle peachy flavor and a dense, creamy texture.
MOST ICONIC Gelato alla pesca
View moreTasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “7 Worst Rated Italian Ice Creams” list until February 16, 2025, 2,661 ratings were recorded, of which 2,242 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.