Neapolitan Ice Cream
Ingredients
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- 8 ounces fresh strawberries – hulled and sliced (~20 medium strawberries)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 6 large large egg yolks
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate – finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Freeze your ice cream maker bowl until solid (per manufacturer) and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap; chill the pan.
2. Measure 1 cup granulated sugar. In a bowl, toss the fresh strawberries with 2 tbsp of the measured sugar and the lemon juice; let sit until juicy, 20–30 minutes, then puree until smooth and chill.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, heavy cream, 1/2 cup of the remaining sugar, and the fine sea salt; heat over medium until steaming with small bubbles at the edges, 3–5 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the large egg yolks with 1/4 cup of the remaining sugar until thick and pale, 1–2 minutes. Slowly whisk in about 1 cup of the hot dairy, then return the mixture to the saucepan.
5. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the custard coats the back of the spoon or reaches 175–180°F, 5–7 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl.
6. Divide the warm custard evenly among three bowls. Into one bowl, whisk the Dutch-process cocoa powder and the bittersweet chocolate until fully melted and smooth. Into a second bowl, stir in the vanilla extract. Leave the third bowl plain.
7. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of each bowl and chill until very cold (about 40°F), at least 4 hours.
8. Stir the strawberry puree into the plain chilled custard until evenly combined.
9. Churn the chocolate base in the ice cream maker until soft-serve consistency, 15–20 minutes. Spread it neatly along one long third of the chilled loaf pan; return the pan to the freezer while you churn the next flavor.
10. Churn the vanilla base until softly frozen, 15–20 minutes. Spread it into the center third of the pan; return the pan to the freezer.
11. Churn the strawberry base until softly frozen, 15–20 minutes. Spread it into the remaining third. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and freeze until firm enough to slice, 4–6 hours.
12. To serve, lift the ice cream from the pan, peel off the wrap, and slice crosswise to reveal the three stripes. Let slices stand 2–3 minutes to soften slightly before serving.
Neapolitan ice cream is a trio of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry packed side by side so each scoop delivers contrasting flavors and colors. The chocolate is rich and rounded, the vanilla creamy and fragrant, and the strawberry bright and fruity, giving a balanced bite. Presented in a loaf or block, it’s designed to be sliced so the three stripes show cleanly, making it as visually appealing as it is nostalgic.
Though named after Naples, the dessert is a product of Italian immigrant confectioners who adapted Old World molded ices and spumoni to American tastes in the late 19th century. Early versions featured multiple flavors and inclusions, but the chocolate–vanilla–strawberry trio became the standard as dairy ice creams eclipsed semifreddos and gelati in the U.S. Its popularity endured because it offered variety in a single package, and it remains a staple of American parlors and home freezers.