Spumoni

Directions

1. 1
   Prepare the vanilla and chocolate ice-cream bases: Whisk 2 cups milk, 3/4 cup sugar, and 5 egg yolks together in a heavy 2-quart saucepan until blended.
2. 2
   Drop in the vanilla bean, and set the saucepan over very low heat.
3. 3
   Switch to a wooden spoon and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick, about 10 minutes.
4. 4
   (If you have an instant-reading thermometer, check the temperature from time to time.
5. 5
   The base will thicken shortly after the temperature reaches 180 F.) Strain the mixture into a small bowl, and cool to room temperature with a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly to the surface.
6. 6
   Clean the saucepan.
7. 7
   Whisk 2 cups milk, 3/4 cup sugar, 5 egg yolks, and the cocoa together in the saucepan until blended.
8. 8
   Cook and stir as described above until thickened.
9. 9
   Strain the chocolate mixture into a separate small bowl and cool as above.
10. 10
    The bases can be refrigerated for up to 1 day before continuing.
11. 11
    If you have an ice-cream maker, freeze the ice-cream bases separately, according to manufacturers directions, and set the finished ice creams in the freezer as you finish.
12. 12
    If you dont have an ice-cream maker, place the bowls of ice-cream base in the freezer and freeze, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is frozen but soft enough to be spooned out easily.
13. 13
    Whip the cream and 1/4 cup sugar in a chilled bowl until it holds stiff peaks.
14. 14
    Gently fold the cherries, nuts, and candied peel into the whipped cream.
15. 15
    Refrigerate the whipped cream.
16. 16
    Line up six 10-ounce paper soft-drink cups on your work surface.
17. 17
    Remove the vanilla ice cream from the freezer.
18. 18
    (If it has become too hard to scoop easily, let it stand at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes.)
19. 19
    Working quickly, scoop one-sixth of the ice cream into one of the cups and spread it into an even layer that comes about 3 inches up the sides of the cup and is about 1/4 inch thick, leaving enough room in the center for a layer of chocolate ice cream and the whipped-cream filling.
20. 20
    Place the cup in the freezer immediately and repeat with the remaining ice cream and cups.
21. 21
    Freeze until the vanilla ice cream is solid, 15 to 30 minutes.
22. 22
    Check the consistency of the chocolate ice cream.
23. 23
    If it is too solid to spoon easily, let it stand at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes.
24. 24
    Tear off six squares of plastic wrap or wax paper large enough to cover the tops of the ice-cream molds, and set them close by.
25. 25
    Take the flavored whipped cream out of the refrigerator and have it close by.
26. 26
    Take one of the cups out of the freezer and spoon a layer of the chocolate ice cream inside the vanilla ice cream, making that layer even with the top of the vanilla ice cream and leaving enough space in the center for the whipped-cream filling.
27. 27
    (You may not need a full sixth of the chocolate ice cream to do this.)
28. 28
    Drop a little of the whipped cream into the center of the mold and tap the surface of the cup to settle the whipped cream into the indentation.
29. 29
    Add the whipped cream little by little, tapping the cup after each addition, until the whipped cream is even with the ice-cream layers.
30. 30
    Cover with a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper pressed directly to the surface, and return immediately to the freezer.
31. 31
    Repeat with the remaining cups.
32. 32
    Freeze for at least 2 hours or up to one day before serving.
33. 33
    To serve, remove wax paper or plastic wrap.
34. 34
    With a sharp, serrated knife, cut the cup in half lengthwise from the top, straight through the ice cream.
35. 35
    Working carefully, peel the cup from the spumoni halves and serve on chilled plates.