Zuppa Inglese Gelato: The Italian Flavor I Had Never Heard Of

The first time I heard of Zuppa Inglese, I had never heard of it before.

My mom's best friend, who is from Calabria, told me it was her favorite gelato flavor. I remember thinking, Zuppa Inglese? What is that? And honestly, it sounded so cool to me. It felt like one of those traditional gelato flavors that only locals grow up knowing about.

I knew about the classic Italian gelato flavors. Pistachio, hazelnut, stracciatella, chocolate, fior di latte. But Zuppa Inglese was completely new to me.

So naturally, I had to find out what it was.

So, What Is Zuppa Inglese?

Zuppa Inglese is a traditional Italian dessert made with layers of Pan di Spagna, pastry cream, and Alchermes. Many versions also include chocolate pastry cream or chocolate, and the exact preparation varies throughout Italy.

The sponge cake is soaked with Alchermes, which gives the dessert its unmistakable deep red color and warm, aromatic flavor.

It's traditionally served layered in a trifle dish or made into individual portions. However, in Italy it's made into cakes and other desserts. And while the name literally translates to "English soup," its history is very much rooted in Italian cooking.

There are several theories about where Zuppa Inglese began. One tradition connects it to the Renaissance court of the Este family in Ferrara, where it may have been inspired by an English trifle. Another popular theory places its development in 19th-century Florence, where an Italian housekeeper working for an English family supposedly created a dessert using leftover biscuits, sweet wine, custard, and chocolate.

There isn't one perfectly agreed-upon origin story. What is clear is that Zuppa Inglese became part of Italian pastry tradition and developed into different versions throughout Italy.

The Alchermes That Makes It So Recognizable

Alchermes gets its name from the Arabic al-qirmiz, referring to the deep crimson color. Its history stretches back centuries, at Florence's Santa Maria Novella, a recipe for Alkermes was documented in 1743 by Dominican friar Fra' Cosimo Bucelli. The liqueur was part of the pharmacy's historic preparations and became closely associated with Florence and the Medici, eventually earning the nickname "the liqueur of the Medici."

Alchermes is a warm, aromatic liqueur, with notes of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, coriander, vanilla, orange peel, and rose. Its signature deep red color traditionally comes from cochineal, a natural dye made from dried insects.

That's actually something worth knowing before you buy a bottle. Not every Alchermes today is made the same way, and some commercial versions use synthetic coloring or artificial flavoring. Santa Maria Novella's version follows its historic recipe and still gets its characteristic color from cochineal.

For me, Alchermes isn't just what makes the Pan di Spagna red. Those warm spices, citrus, and floral notes are a huge part of what makes Zuppa Inglese taste like Zuppa Inglese.

And Then She Told Me About the Gelato

What really caught my attention was when my mom's best friend told me that Zuppa Inglese was her favorite gelato flavor.

I had never heard of a gelato flavor like that before, so I asked her what it was.

She explained that it was basically Zuppa Inglese turned into gelato: a creamy vanilla gelato with pieces of Pan di Spagna soaked in Alchermes folded throughout. Sometimes, it's finished with chocolate shavings. Creamy vanilla, soft sponge cake, the warm spices and floral notes from the Alchermes, and a little chocolate. All of the flavors of Zuppa Inglese, just in gelato form.

It sounded incredible.

Zuppa Inglese gelato is enjoyed throughout Italy, with different gelaterias and regions putting their own spin on it. I had simply never come across it before, which made me even more curious to try it for myself.

I love discovering things like this about Italian food. There are so many traditional desserts, ingredients, and gelato flavors that are incredibly familiar in Italy but still relatively unknown outside of the country.

Zuppa Inglese is one of them.

It's not a flavor you're likely to see at American gelato shop, but throughout Italy, it has a history, a tradition, and countless variations.

And honestly, after learning what it is, I think gelato might be one of the best ways to eat Zuppa Inglese.