Flavors of Naples Series: Coviglia al cioccolato

In this series of articles, we share with you recipes that go well with Neapolitan coffee and are at the heart of traditional Neapolitan cuisine. Here we are with the first article of the series, coviglia al cioccolato!

Coviglia is a Neapolitan dessert that dates back to the 18th century. An example of the French and Spanish influence in Neapolitan cuisine, its name comes from the Spanish cubillo– probably because the containers in which the dessert is placed are shaped like cubes.

Coviglia semifreddo (Italian for “semi-frozen”) is one of the desserts. The texture of semifreddo desserts is somewhere between ice cream and mousse, silky creamy and deliciously cold. Coviglia usually comes in a single flavor, the best known being chocolate and coffee. Of course, modern varieties also include hazelnut and strawberry. While it used to be sold in small aluminum containers, it can now be bought in plastic containers at any ice cream shop or patisserie in Naples.

Making ice cream at home is not easy, but you don’t need an ice cream maker to make coviglia. Capturing this flavor at home is much easier than you think!

Ingredients:

• 150 g coarsely chopped dark chocolate and some grated chocolate to decorate the top
• 350 ml liquid cream
• 3 egg whites
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 4 egg yolks
• 80 g granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons rum

Description:

1. Melt the chopped dark chocolate in the microwave or with a bain-marie and set aside to cool slightly. Whip the cream.
2. Beat the egg whites with the lemon juice until stiff. With a mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar until they become fluffy and lighten in color.
3. Add the rum and melted chocolate to the egg yolks and mix until homogeneous. Slowly fold the egg whites and whipped cream into the mixture and mix with a spatula until smooth, taking care not to deflate the mixture.
4. Divide the mixture into small glasses or cups and place in the freezer for at least 4 hours. Remove from the freezer 5 minutes before serving. When serving, you can decorate with grated chocolate.

Recipe and cover image courtesy of Great Italian Chefs.