Spaghettieis Is The German Ice Cream Sundae You Can Easily Recreate At Home

Spaghettieis is a playful and delightful German dessert that transforms ice cream into a dish resembling a plate of spaghetti. Invented in the late 1960s by Dario Fontanella in Mannheim, Germany, this treat creatively mimics the classic pasta dish using sweet ingredients. To make Spaghettieis, vanilla ice cream is pushed through a potato ricer or a specialized press to create noodle-like strands. These creamy "spaghetti" strands are then laid on a plate to form the base of the sundae. For the sauce, sweetened strawberry puree is drizzled over the top, imitating tomato sauce. To complete the illusion, white chocolate shavings or grated coconut are sprinkled over the dessert to resemble Parmesan cheese. The result is a visually amusing and delicious treat that combines the familiar flavors of ice cream with a whimsical presentation. Spaghettieis is loved for its novelty and taste, making it a fun dessert to recreate at home. With just a few ingredients and a bit of imagination, you can easily surprise family and friends with this charming sundae, adding a touch of German culinary creativity to your dessert repertoire.
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How to make spaghettieis at home

Since spaetzle is a traditional German dish, chefs outside of Germany can use a potato ricer to press ice cream instead, achieving a similar effect. The ice cream is then elegantly layered over a mound of whipped cream, finished with a drizzle of sweet strawberry sauce and delicate shavings of white chocolate. At first glance, this dessert may appear savory, but it’s actually a delightful ice cream creation.

This indulgent treat is beloved throughout Germany, but you don’t need to book a flight to enjoy it. It’s quite simple to prepare at home, and you won’t need any special machines to make the ice cream. Start by placing a generous dollop of whipped cream on a plate (you can either buy it pre-made or whip it up yourself). Next, scoop some vanilla ice cream into a potato ricer and squeeze it over the whipped cream until it forms a delightful mound resembling "spaghetti." Finally, drizzle your favorite red fruit sauce over the ice cream and sprinkle with shaved white chocolate (or coconut shavings if you prefer). Voilà!

If the delicious combination of these ingredients doesn’t entice you, perhaps the novelty of spaghetti ice cream will. Just imagine the look of surprise on your dinner guest's face when you present them with a bowl of "spaghetti" after their main course—it's a reaction that makes the effort of creating this sweet treat worthwhile.

Origins of this savory, er, sweet indulgence

Spaghettieis is one of those concepts that seems to have been conceived by a true creative mastermind. For those curious, we owe the invention of this delightful dessert to an Italian-German ice cream artisan. Dario Fontanella, who hails from a family of ice cream makers, owns Eis Fontanella in Mannheim, Germany. The inspiration for this unique ice cream struck him not while working at his shop, but in 1969 during a visit to a ski resort in Italy. There, he tasted a French dessert called Mont Blanc, which featured a stringy chestnut purée made with a potato ricer. Captivated by the dish's distinctive texture, Dario introduced his own spaghettieis creation at his shop in the 1970s, and the rest is history. (For context, "eis" means ice cream in German.)

Although this idea was undeniably inventive, it didn't win everyone over right away. Dario's wife, Desi Fontanella, recounted to Smithsonian Magazine, "In the early days of spaghettieis, children often cried when he served them. They had ordered a sundae and were quite disappointed to receive what looked like a pasta dish."

Despite the initial surprise, spaghettieis has become a cherished favorite throughout Germany, with over 30 million cups sold each year. That's a significant amount of affection for this ice cream delight, so why not give it a try?

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