Stracciatella ice cream dish

Picture yourself strolling down a cobbled street in Italy on a warm summer day. The sun glows golden, laughter fills the air, and there it is—the perfect treat, a cup of stracciatella ice cream. But did you know this delightful flavor has a charming backstory?

A warm day in Italy

Stracciatella Ice Cream

Delicious stracciatella ice cream dish with chocolate shavings

The History of Stracciatella Ice Cream

The stracciatella ice cream dish originated in the 1960s in Bergamo, Italy. Enrico Panattoni, the owner of a local gelateria, was inspired by stracciatella soup—a traditional Roman egg drop soup where thin strands of egg form delicate ribbons. He sought to replicate this effect in gelato, leading to the creation of stracciatella ice cream, where melted chocolate is drizzled into cold cream, hardening into delicate shavings.

How to Make Authentic Stracciatella Ice Cream

Here’s a simple recipe to create this Italian classic at home:

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa or more)

Instructions:

  1. In a bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla extract until well combined.
  2. Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
  3. While the ice cream churns, melt the dark chocolate over low heat or using a microwave.
  4. When the ice cream is almost set, slowly drizzle the melted chocolate into the machine, allowing it to harden and break into thin, delicious shavings.
  5. Transfer to a container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

With its creamy vanilla base and crunchy chocolate shavings, this ice cream pairs wonderfully with a variety of alcoholic beverages.

Amaretto

Amaretto goes well with stracciatella ice cream dish

Vin Santo

Vin Santo goes well with stracciatella ice cream dish

Baileys Irish Cream

Baileys goes well with stracciatella ice cream dish

Chocolate Liqueur

Chocolate liqueur goes well with stracciatella ice cream dish

Rum (Dark or Spiced)

Rum goes well with stracciatella ice cream dish

Prosecco

Prosecco goes well with stracciatella ice cream dish

More on Stracciatella Ice Cream

Want to explore more about the stracciatella ice cream dish? Click here for more history, tips, and variations.