An epicurean adventure to: Italy
Get ready to dive into a world of pure decadence with this quick cassata ice cream recipe! It's a magical shortcut recipe that still captures the essence of this beloved Sicilian ice cream cake in a snap.
What is Cassata and where does it come from?
Traditionally, Italian Cassata is Sicily's frozen masterpiece. It's a stunning visual feast!
Layers of flavoured ice cream like pistachio, chocolate and strawberry collide with sweet surprises like candied fruits, chocolate and marzipan. Wrapped in a cakey embrace of sponge or ladyfingers makes it a tantalising mix of textures. Finally, it's topped off with vibrant candied fruits and chocolate shavings.
This dessert sure is a proud symbol of Sicily's famous culinary heritage, often enjoyed during special occasions and festive celebrations.
How is this a shortcut version?
Our quick, shortcut Cassata recipe omits the complicated ice cream and cake layers, yet remains filled with delicious bursts of dried fruits, pistachios, creamy ice cream and chocolate chunks.
The addition of Baileys liqueur, or Amaretto, creates an extra layer of flavour that harmonises perfectly with the plain vanilla ice cream.
Keep in mind, cassata ice cream isn't exclusive to Christmas or Easter, you can, and should, enjoy it at any time throughout the year!
By the way, if you enjoy Bailey's, why not also try this hot chocolate with Bailey's whipped cream! And for other easy desserts, also try this dark chocolate ice cream or this 3-ingredient coffee mousse.
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What you'll love about this recipe
- No cooking involved, just throw everything together - Mix. Freeze. Done!
- Ideal for people who love the flavours of Christmas cake, but prefer something lighter.
- Good for southern hemisphere Christmases where guests might prefer something cooler for dessert.
- You can add almost anything to it. Make it a Tutti Frutti feast!
- Popular at any occasion during the year.
- You can dress it up to the nines.
- Leave the alcohol out to make it kid-friendly.
- Homemade Cassata ice cream is generally cheaper to make than buying it from the store.
Italy - Fast facts
| Location | Italy is located in Southern Europe, bordering France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. |
| Language | Italian is the official language of Italy and it's spoken by the majority of the population. However, there are also many regional dialects and languages spoken throughout the country. |
| Population | Circa 60 million people. |
| Trivia | Italians are known for their warm hospitality and love of family. The concept of "la famiglia" is deeply rooted in Italian culture, emphasizing the importance of strong familial bonds and shared meals. |
Key ingredients, variations and substitutions
**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients.
Ice cream
Use a good quality, creamy vanilla ice cream. You can also make this with other flavoured ice creams like chocolate, toffee, pistachio or strawberry ice cream.
Dried fruit and nuts
The sky is the limit here. Whatever you use, try to use a good combination of colours for the best visual impact when sliced, like reds, greens and yellows.
The mixed peel used in this recipe is the candied citrus peel usually used in fruit cakes. You can find it in the baking aisle near the glacé cherries.
Other fruits and nuts to consider are dried apricots, dried figs, dried cranberries, pecan nuts, walnuts, macadamia nuts, candied pineapple, dried mango, candied green angelica and candied ginger pieces.
Chocolate
This recipe uses dark chocolate, but you can also use milk or white chocolate. Chopped up truffles like Ferrero Rocher also work well.
Liqueur
This can be omitted completely to make it alcohol-free. If you are using liqueur, other than Baileys, also consider Amaretto, Amarula, Kahlua and Frangelico.
How to make Cassata ice cream
- For this quantity, you will need a cake tin or bundt tin of any shape with a 3 litre capacity. A loaf pan will also work really well.
If you are using a tin with reasonably straight sides, you can line it with some cling wrap to help ease the frozen dessert out later.
- Get all the ingredients ready by chopping any larger pieces into smaller chunks, like the nuts and chocolate.
- Remove the ice cream from the freezer roughly 15 minutes before you start, to soften it slightly. Tip it out into a large bowl.
Careful not to thaw it too much because if it's too liquid the ingredients will sink to the bottom once you pour your final mix into the tin. Thawing it all the way down to room temperature will make it far too soft, so keep an eye on it.
- Add the liqueur to the softened ice cream and loosen it up with a spoon. The liqueur will help with this process. You want a consistency akin to that of thick cream cheese.
- Add all the Cassata ingredients to the softened ice cream and mix well. Tip the mix into your tin and place it in the freezer to set overnight, or at least for the best part of the day.
- To release the ice cream from the tin, very briefly - and I mean as briefly as a split second - dunk the tin into a sink with hot water. This is mostly relevant where you have used a tin that could not be lined with plastic wrap (like a patterned bundt tin).
If you lined the tin with plastic wrap, you can skip the hot water step.
- Place a plate on top of the tin and in one swift motion, tip the whole lot upside down so the ice cream will slide onto your serving plate.
- Decorate lavishly and unashamedly, slice and enjoy!
Decoration ideas
- Decorate with more chopped nuts and dried fruit.
- Whipped cream.
- A dusting of icing sugar (this will dissolve very quickly so do it just before serving).
- Fresh berries.
- Chocolate shavings.
- Edible flowers.
- Drizzle with chocolate or caramel sauce.
- Add candles or sparkles.
Storage
- Any leftover cassata will keep well in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months.
FAQ
Absolutely, just replace the ice cream with a dairy free version.
You can, just place it back in the freezer for 5 minutes before decorating and serving.
Not to worry. Place the bowl back in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes. Once it's firmer, mix it again before spooning it back into the tin.
More seasonal desserts
More Christmas recipes
The best pigs in blankets with a whisky and honey glaze
Easy Parmentier potatoes (mini roast potatoes)
Roasted tenderstem broccoli with parmesan and pine nuts
The best honey-roasted carrots and parsnips
Recipe
Festive Cassata ice cream
Ingredients
- 2 litres vanilla ice cream
- 50 millilitre Bailey's liqueur
- 200 gram glacé cherries - halved
- 150 gram pistachios - roughly chopped
- 100 gram candied mixed peel
- 100 gram dark chocolate - chopped into small chunks
Instructions
- You will need a cake pan or bundt tin, of any shape, with a 3 litre capacity.
- Take the ice cream out of the freezer and leave to soften up slightly for about 15 minutes. This will vary on how warm your kitchen is.
- Tip the ice cream into a large bowl and add the Baileys liqueur.
- Soften the ice cream with a wooden spoon until you have the consistency of thick cream cheese. The Baileys will help loosen up the ice cream. Don't let it thaw too much, otherwise your ingredients will sink to the bottom of the tin if it becomes too liquid.
- Add the glacé cherry halves, the chopped pistachios, the mixed peel and the chocolate chunks to the ice cream and combine well.
- Spoon the cassata mixture into the tin. Cover with cling film or foil and place in the freezer to set overnight.
- Remove the cassata from the freezer. To help release it from the tin, dunk the tin very briefly in a sink filled with hot water.It will only take a split second for the ice cream to release from the side of the tin, so don't dunk it for too long, otherwise the ice cream may start to melt.
- Place a serving dish over the top of the tin. Whilst holding it firmly in place, flip it over so the serving dish is now on the bottom. The cassata should now easily slide out onto the plate.
- If you find that the surface of the cassata looks a little melted, just put it back in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.
- Decorate with more chopped nuts, dried fruit, chocolate curls or chocolate sauce. Serve immediately.
**Nutritional data disclaimer**
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.
Nutrition
For food safety advice, including guidance on food allergies
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