• In the midst of the cold season, a sweet trend that defies logic is gaining momentum in Rome: ice cream served warm.
This dessert, known as hot ice cream, combines contrasts of temperature and textures, transforming a traditional summer treat into a perfect comfort for cold days, proving that sweets don't take the calendar into account.
The origin of this unique dessert dates back to 2013, when an Italian gelato master based in New Zealand, Giampaolo Grazioli, surprised the world with a unique creation in his Auckland gelateria: a chocolate and hazelnut ice cream wrapped in a thin layer of tempered dark chocolate, which, after a short heating in the oven for 40 seconds at 150°C, becomes crispy on the outside, while keeping the inside creamy and cool. The result? An explosion of sensations that has inspired many artisans to experiment with this taste paradox.
In Rome, the trend has recently taken shape with the launch of “Il Gelato Caldo di Roma” at Giuffrè Forno & Gelato, in its new location in the elegant Prati district. Conceived as an ideal dessert for urban strolls, it comes in the form of a portable glass: a generous layer of steaming zabaione, on top of which floats a scoop of fresh ice cream, all covered with a rich and consistent whipped cream.
Alessandro Giuffrè, the artisan behind the idea, says that his passion for zabaione – inherited from childhood – pushed him to create this combination. The whipped cream is carefully prepared, balancing fresh cream with mascarpone for a dense texture, and the final touches come from decorative powders: one golden, which evokes the sparkle of the holidays, and another of freeze-dried raspberries, bringing a tart and refreshing note.
It is not an absolute novelty in the Eternal City, however. Hot ice cream has also been included in the menu of the famous Fassi Gelateria, one of the oldest in the capital. Here, the classic version is more like an aerated semifreddo or a smooth mousse, available in flavors such as delicate vanilla, intense chocolate, creamy gianduja or fresh berries.
The secret of the preparation, explained by Andrea Fassi, lies in the absence of milk: the base is whipped cream with sugar, to which is added, for the taste of zabaione, a slow-cooked mixture of egg yolks, sugar and Marsala wine, delicately incorporated. Served at ambient or slightly warmed temperature, this dessert remains an option appreciated by the initiated, even if it is not permanently part of the menu.
Warm ice cream thus demonstrates that the boundaries between cold and warm, traditional and innovative, can be successfully blurred in the name of gastronomic pleasure. In the middle of the Roman winter, when the air is clean and cold, such a creation offers not only a gustatory treat, but also a unique sensory experience – a true triumph of the art of Italian gelato.
Article source: Il gelato caldo che accende Roma: le versioni da assagiare
Article written by Gabriela Dan, Editor-in-Chief Arta Albă
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