Dairy treats come in many flavors and options, including a wide selection of gelato pints. One flavor you may come across when shopping for artisan gelato pints is spumoni. The unique name also includes a lot of unique flavors. Originating from Italy, spumoni has become a worldwide treat and crafted by many artisan diary makers.

A spumoni gelato typically includes three separate flavors layered together. Traditionally, spumoni is often mixed up with a "Neapolitan" dairy dessert. A Neapolitan gelato would include vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice creams, but spumoni is a lot different.

When you eat spumoni, choose to eat each flavor individually, or mix every flavor together in single bites. Here, you'll learn about the origins of spumoni and what to expect with each layer of the gelato.

Zuppa Inglese

The first layer is known as Zuppa Inglese. The Italian words translate to "English soup" and this is essentially a custard-based gelato. Zuppa Inglese is typically the lightest colored layer and can include diced-up cherries along with some cinnamon. Some versions of the layer will also include almond pieces mixed in to represent the traditional dessert.

You could find both almonds and cherries mixed together in a single batch. This layer of the spumoni will include the most textures and crunch when compared to the other layers.

Green Pistachio

The bright green layer of spumoni is a green pistachio flavor. In some cases, you will have a smooth ice cream with just the taste of pistachio in each bite. In some versions, chunks of pistachio are chopped up and dispersed through the gelato mix. Typically, if a Zuppa Inglese layer includes almonds, then the pistachio layer will remain smooth.

The smooth texture makes the pistachio layer easy to blend and mix. You will taste the pistachio in each bite.

Chocolate Hazelnut

The darkest part of a spumoni gelato is typically a layer of chocolate hazelnut. The hazelnut flavors add a lot of depth to the chocolate and create a rich flavor when bitten into. The hazelnut and pistachio blend together nicely to form a smooth texture with both light and heavy flavors. Typically, the flavors are similar to hazelnut coffee, including a smooth blend on the tongue, especially if the gelato is soft and melted slightly.

The flavors are layered into the gelato pints horizontally. When you open a lid, you can see each layer clearly and choose which layer to start with. The next time you order artisan gelato pints, try spumoni to get a taste of the different flavors. For more information, contact a company like Palazzolo's Artisan Dairy.