MESSINA'S FIRST NEW GELATO CAKES IN EIGHT YEARS LAND TODAY, AND ONE IS A PAVLOVA
If you have been wondering what to take along to Christmas lunch this year, Gelato Messina may have just answered the question with four brand new gelato cakes.
The much-loved gelato maker has rebuilt its cake range for the first time since 2018, and the new line-up goes on sale from today, November 10.
The cakes are available in Messina stores and online, and you can pre-order for pick-up or simply grab one from the cabinet.
There are three frozen gelato cakes and one semifreddo, which is a softer, mousse-like option that behaves a little differently once it leaves the freezer.
Prices start at $90 and go up to $130, so these are firmly in the special occasion category, but each one is designed to feed a crowd.
Meet Messina's new gelato cakes
The headline act for many will be Miss Pavalaska, which, as the name suggests, is a cheeky cross between a Bombe Alaska and a pavlova.
According to food news site Crumbwire, it layers passionfruit and mango gelato with vanilla gelato and a raspberry and passionfruit sauce.
It also features baked meringue with a raspberry glaze, finished with a torched passionfruit Italian meringue on top.
At $99, it serves 12 to 16 people, which makes it a very handy option for a summery family get-together.
Chocolate lovers are well looked after with Madame Mushroom, a $130 cake that serves 16 to 20 and replaces the old Dr Evil's Magic Mushroom.
It is inspired by Messina's Triple Whammy gelato special and is packed with malt whipped ganache, Messinatella mousse, milk chocolate and hazelnut fudge, chocolate cookies, chocolate malt gelato and chocolate sponge.
The finishing touch is a red chocolate glaze dotted with white chocolate, so it looks just as playful as it sounds.
A honey cake and a chocolate overload
Dr Beez is an all-new $90 cake built around honey, and it serves 10 to 14.
It combines honey brûlée mousse, honey custard gelato, honeycomb gelato, vanilla caramel and hokey pokey crunch on a chocolate sponge, with a velvety chocolate finish.
Then there is Sir Choc-A-Lot, also $90 and also serving 10 to 14, which Crumbwire describes as Messina's most chocolate-heavy cake yet.
This is the semifreddo of the range, with dark chocolate mousse, a cocoa nib brownie, chocolate sponge and salted caramel cremeux under a glossy chocolate glaze.
Messina says its in-house single-origin chocolate, fresh Jersey milk and pastry-chef-made extras are still at the heart of every cake.
How to get your gelato cakes home safely
This is the practical bit that is easy to forget in the excitement of a new dessert.
On its cakes page, Messina advises that gelato cakes should go into the freezer within 35 minutes of purchase.
It also suggests leaving them out for 15 to 30 minutes before serving so they are easier to slice.
The semifreddo is more forgiving, because it can be eaten straight from the fridge or the freezer, and Messina says it can travel for up to three hours.
That makes Sir Choc-A-Lot a smart pick if you are driving to a relative's place or heading to a picnic.
If you are buying a frozen cake, pack a cooler bag and ice bricks in the car and make the cake shop your last stop.
Tips for a stress-free Christmas dessert
With Christmas only weeks away, a ready-made showstopper can take a lot of pressure off the host.
Ordering ahead is a good idea if you have your heart set on one particular cake, as popular flavours can sell out close to the big day.
Check your freezer space before you buy, because a cake that serves 20 needs a decent spot to sit flat.
If you are feeding a mixed crowd, it is worth checking ingredients for nuts, dairy and gluten, and asking staff if anyone at your table has an allergy.
You can also earn points on cake purchases through the Messina app, which is a nice bonus if you are a regular.
Whether you are team pavlova, team chocolate or team honey, there is a new cake here that could well become your family's new Christmas tradition.
