Majestic, mysterious, downright mythical; the legendary Viennetta loaf looms large in my childhood nostalgia.
Hearkening back to my earliest memories of Sunday brunch with my grandparents, there are many sights and sounds that I still hold dear. Without fail, my grandpa would burst through the garage door with great fanfare as we sat around a bowl of mixed nuts, snacking and sharing details of our lives. Brandishing brown paper bags from Gold’s, our old-school traditional deli, we all knew that this was the sign that mingling had concluded, and the meal was about to begin.
Plastic tubs of garlic pickles, both fresh and sour, cold cuts wrapped in butcher’s paper and twine, fluffy Kaiser rolls, showering avalanches of poppy seeds with every movement; these were all the essentials. My grandma would have already cut up vegetable crudités and mashed a vat of egg salad to serve alongside, raw onion still biting our eyes as the volatile oils lingered tenaciously in the air. No, none of it was vegan, but it was a simpler, unenlightened time.
After the sandwiches came my favorite part; the stunning chocolate and vanilla ice cream cake my grandma would keep hidden in the freezer, for just such an occasion. Impossibly thin shards of crisp chocolate layered across a hundred folds of soft vanilla frozen cream, straddling the line between pudding and whipped topping, there was nothing else I had ever experienced like it, and have yet to find a similar dessert.
Only later in life did I discover that the frozen confection of my childhood dreams was called “Viennetta” and lo, it’s still made to this day! After lurking overseas for decades, it was revived for sale in the US in 2020, but there’s nothing to celebrate here. Unsurprisingly, it’s the same dairy-filled gut-bomb that’s largely held together with questionable preservatives.
Recreating a memory is always tricky, but this shockingly simple homemade rendition quickly surpassed my expectations. Though it may not have quite as many paper-thin layers of chocolate, and my grandpa is no longer around to bring home the cold cuts, it reminds me of those sweet, simple days. If he could still join us for brunch, I’d like to think that he’d approve of my version, with a sly wink and a nod, and maybe even consider picking up a package of corned seitan for lunch, too.
Much of this story was cut when Super Vegan Scoops! went to print, so I’m happy to finally share the full piece here, along with the recipe.
Viennetta
Recreate the classic Viennetta ice cream cake, but make it vegan! Impossibly thin shards of crisp chocolate layered across a hundred folds of soft vanilla frozen cream, straddling the line between pudding and whipped topping; it's an unforgettable dessert that exceeds childhood memories.
Recipe from Super Vegan Scoops! by Hannah Kaminsky
Ingredients
Viennetta:
- 1/2 Cup Aquafaba
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Can Full-Fat Coconut Milk, Chilled for 24 Hours
- 1 Cup Confectioner’s Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Pour the aquafaba into the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment installed and gradually increase the speed up to its highest setting. Once you have a steady froth going, slowly sprinkle in the granulated sugar and cream of tartar together. Whip at full power for 5 - 7 minutes, until you achieve a sturdy meringue that stands up at firm peaks. Transfer to a large bowl and reassemble the mixer.
- Carefully open the chilled can of coconut milk, being sure not to shake them, and scoop off the top layer of thick coconut cream. Discard or save the watery liquid left behind for another recipe. Place the coconut cream in the bowl of your stand mixer and install the whisk attachment. Whip on high speed for about 3 minutes before slowly beginning to sprinkle in the confectioner’s sugar, just a little bit at a time. Continue beating the mixture for up to 10 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Take about half of the meringue and use a wide spatula to gently fold it into the whipped coconut cream, along with the vanilla, being careful not to beat out all the bubbles. Repeat the process with the remainder, until the airy mixture is smooth and well-combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Line an 8x4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or have a silicone loaf pan of the same dimensions at the ready.
- Pipe a single layer of the whipped mixture over the bottom, covering it completely. Warm the magic shell so that it’s pourable but not hot, and drizzle it over the filling. Place the loaf pan in the freezer for about 15 minutes to begin to set, and stash the piping bag in the fridge in the meantime.
- Retrieve the pan and pipe another layer of whipped filling on top of the solid chocolate shell. Drizzle another layer of the magic shell on top. Return to the freezer, and repeat. Continue this process until you reach the top of the loaf pan, ending with a layer of the whipped mixture.
- Let rest in the freezer for at least 3 hours, until solidly set, before unmolding and transferring the cake to a serving platter. Decorate with any remaining whipped topping and/or magic shell, if desired.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 196Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 8mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 0gSugar: 21gProtein: 1g
All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.
I’ve not heard of a Viennetta loaf before it I can certainly understand why it would be sometime you wouldn’t forget about. I sounds terrific.