A recipe for Spaghettieis (German Spaghetti Ice Cream)! Ribbons of vanilla ice cream are topped with strawberry sauce and shredded coconut/white chocolate to resemble spaghetti in the form of a fun frozen treat.
When I was younger, some of my favorite memories while visiting family in Germany during the summer involved the incredible variety of ice cream. I loved the Eiscafé (Eisdiele) with their elaborate sundaes, but the gelato truck was also a highlight. The Italian owner of the truck always knew exactly where he could find the most customers. During the hottest part of the day, he would drive along the streets in our neighborhood. You could also find him parked outside the school right as sports practices were letting out or near the entrance of the zoo on busy weekends.
We would always pick Spaghettieis, an ice cream sundae assembled to look like spaghetti. It was first created in Mannheim in 1969 by Dario Fontenella and can now be found throughout Germany. Vanilla ice cream is pushed through a Spätzle press (potato ricer) to create the appearance of long noodles. It is topped with a strawberry sauce for the tomato sauce and garnished with grated white chocolate or dried coconut for the cheese. Whipped cream is occasionally added under the ice cream in the bottom layer of the bowl.
Here are a few photos above of some of the Spaghettieis and sundaes (Tiramisu, Strawberry and Rosé Wine Float) I tried while in Germany. I would often opt to have the Spaghettieis topped with a chocolate or vanilla sauce instead.
To create the “spaghetti” shape at home, I use a potato ricer with a small-holed plate. If the ice cream is too solid to push through the ricer, let it sit in the refrigerator or on the counter until just softened enough to handle.
The whipped cream and strawberry sauce can be made up to a couple of days in advance. I actually prefer to prepare the strawberry sauce the day before to make sure it is well chilled before pouring over the ice cream. The whipped cream is an optional addition. I usually keep it unsweetened, but will occasionally add a pinch of vanilla sugar to taste. Before pressing the ice cream, evenly spread the whipped cream across the bottom and sides of the serving bowl.
Garnish and serve the Spaghettieis immediately after pressing into the bowl. It will quickly melt and lose its shape. To help keep the ice cream chilled a little longer, place the serving bowls in the freezer for about 5 minutes before prepping. I sometimes put the potato ricer in the freezer too, but it often just makes the ice cream too stiff for me to press through so I usually skip this step.
Some fun variations I have also come across include adding “meatballs” (small scoops of chocolate ice cream or brownie bites) on top or swapping the strawberry sauce for a kiwi or pistachio sauce to make pesto.
Looking for more German recipes?
Try my Eiskaffee (German Coffee with Ice Cream), Milchnudeln (German Milk Noodles), and Nusskämme (German Hazelnut Combs).
Spaghettieis (German Spaghetti Ice Cream) Recipe
Adapted from German Girl in America
Spaghettieis (German Spaghetti Ice Cream)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 16 ounces fresh strawberries
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 cups vanilla ice cream or gelato
- Grated white chocolate and/or dried coconut for garnish
- Thin waffle cookies for garnish
Instructions
- Place serving bowls in freezer.
- Using a hand mixer, blender, or by hand, whip the cream until soft peaks form. If desired, sweeten with a pinch of sugar or vanilla sugar. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Hull and quarter the strawberries, then place in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Transfer the strawberries to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, pressing to get all the liquid. Discard the seeds and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Divide the whipped cream among the chilled serving bowls, evenly spreading to coat the bottom and sides. Use a potato ricer fitted with small circular holes to press the ice cream into the bowls over the whipped cream. You may need a butter knife to separate the ends of the strands from the ricer. Repeat with remaining ice cream and bowls.
- Serve immediately topped with strawberry sauce, white chocolate and/or coconut, and a cookie on the edge of the bowl.
Carlee
What a fun and cute idea! It does look like spaghetti. I was half expecting for there to be noodles in the recipe until I started reading the post!
Tara
🙂 My son thought it was pasta at first and was disappointed to see it was just ice cream (he generally doesn’t like sweets).
lk529
Too fun!