Tartufo ice cream is a dome-shaped dessert that hails from Calabria, Italy. It’s made with layers of ice cream, cherries and crushed cookies enrobed in a rich dark chocolate shell.
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This shareable tartufo ice cream is served all over Italy, but it’s super easy to make right at home. Having eaten this Italian dessert many times as a child, I was excited to make my own tartufo dessert so I could choose the flavor profile.
To make this chocolate tartufo at home, you’ll need a small glass bowl, two flavors of ice cream and your favorite ice cream toppings, like cherries, chocolate fudge and crushed cookies. Once the tartufo dessert is assembled, you’ll freeze it overnight, then cover it in a layer of melted chocolate that hardens like a homemade magic shell. Finish it with a sprinkling of crushed hazelnuts for a nutty finish.
What is tartufo?
Tartufo is the Italian word for “truffle.” Yes, that word refers to the expensive mushroom foraged in the Italian countryside, but it also refers to this delicious ice cream confection. Tartufo dessert is made with layers of ice cream, chocolate, cherries and cookie crumbs with a chocolate shell finish. Cracking into the hard chocolate shell is the best part, as it uncovers the riches inside!
Ingredients for Tartufo Ice Cream
- Ice cream: Our tartufo recipe uses one layer each of chocolate and vanilla ice cream. If you can, it’s worth it to splurge on the best chocolate ice cream and best vanilla ice cream from the store. High-quality ingredients make the tartufo taste better!
- Cherries: Amarena cherries and maraschino cherries can be used interchangeably here, but we highly recommend trying to find Amarena cherries. They’re made with better-quality ingredients, creating luxurious and rich cherries that make this tartufo dessert feel expensive and indulgent. (Don’t worry if you end up with extras; they’re a fantastic cheese board accoutrement.)
- Hot fudge: While you may instinctively try to warm up the hot fudge topping, don’t! We want it room temperature or cold to make chocolate tartufo. Otherwise, it would melt the ice cream.
- Cookies: Crush up 12 amaretti cookies in a food processor. Alternatively, you can put them in a resealable bag and whack them into crumbs with a rolling pin.
- Toppings: After the tartufo dessert is assembled and frozen overnight, it’s time to layer on the toppings. You can choose any toppings you like, but I love a chocolate coating made with dark chocolate chips and coconut oil, plus a sprinkle of crushed hazelnuts.
Directions
Step 1: Press the ice cream into a bowl
Line a 5-inch glass bowl with plastic wrap. You want at least 3 inches of overhang. Scoop the chocolate ice cream into the bowl and spread it into an even layer so the ice cream is flat.