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Homemade Viennetta (No‑Churn)
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Homemade Viennetta (No‑Churn)

A make‑ahead, no‑bake version of the classic Viennetta: layers of creamy vanilla ice cream with thin, crisp chocolate ribbons. Easy to assemble in a loaf pan and freeze until set. Serves about 6.

Prep:40 min
Cook:480 min
Total:520 min
Servings:6
medium
dessert
ice-cream
no-bake
make-ahead
frozen

Ingredients

  • •397 g sweetened condensed milk
  • •600 ml heavy cream (chilled)
  • •2 tsp vanilla extract
  • •0.25 tsp fine salt
  • •200 g good-quality dark chocolate (63–75%)
  • •2 tbsp neutral oil or coconut oil (to loosen chocolate)
  • •50 g crisped rice or chopped toasted nuts (optional for crunch)
  • •1 pan 9x5-inch loaf pan (or similar)
  • •1 sheet plastic wrap / cling film (to line pan)

Instructions

  1. 1.Line the loaf pan with plastic wrap so there is plenty of overhang on all sides. This makes unmolding easy.
  2. 2.Make the ice cream base: pour the chilled heavy cream into a large, cold mixing bowl. Whip to soft‑to‑medium peaks (3–5 minutes with an electric mixer). Do not overbeat—aim for a stable but still slightly pillowy whipped cream.
  3. 3.In a separate bowl whisk the sweetened condensed milk with the vanilla extract and salt until smooth. Gently fold the condensed milk mixture into the whipped cream in 2 additions, folding with a spatula until uniform and airy. This is your no‑churn vanilla ice cream mixture.
  4. 4.Prepare the chocolate ribbon mix: chop the dark chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl. Gently melt over a water bath or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring frequently. Once melted, stir in the oil (or coconut oil) until glossy and pourable. Let the chocolate cool until it is fluid but not hot to the touch (roughly room temperature, about 5–10 minutes) so it won't melt the ice cream when poured.
  5. 5.Assemble the first layer: spoon a thin layer (about 1/6 of the ice cream mixture) into the lined pan and spread it evenly with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon (layer should be no more than 0.5–1 cm thick). Smooth the surface.
  6. 6.Make the first chocolate ripple: pour thin lines of the cooled, pourable chocolate across the ice cream layer. Work quickly and keep the chocolate in a narrow stream—you want thin bands, not a solid sheet. If using crisped rice or nuts, scatter a little over the chocolate while it's still fluid.
  7. 7.Place the pan in the freezer for 15–25 minutes to let the chocolate set and the ice cream firm up slightly.
  8. 8.Repeat layering: add another thin layer of ice cream (another ~1/6 of the mixture), smooth, drizzle another set of chocolate ribbons, and return to the freezer. Repeat until you have 5–7 alternating ice cream + chocolate ribbon layers, finishing with an ice cream layer on top.
  9. 9.To get the characteristic rippled surface: after the final chocolate ribbons are set (if you did a final chocolate), you can lightly drag the tines of a fork lengthwise once the top surface is slightly set to create gentle waves. Alternatively, leave the top smooth—the internal bands will still give the classic appearance when sliced.
  10. 10.Wrap the whole loaf tightly with the overhanging plastic wrap and freeze at least 6–8 hours, ideally overnight, until completely firm.
  11. 11.To serve: remove from freezer 5–10 minutes before slicing so the knife can cut cleanly. Unwrap and use the overhanging foil/plastic to lift the Viennetta from the pan. Run a sharp knife under hot water, dry it, then slice in one clean motion. Wipe the knife between cuts for neat slices.
  12. 12.Storage and make‑ahead: keep wrapped in the freezer for up to 2 weeks for best texture. If storing longer, protect from freezer burn with an extra layer of foil.