A Romantic Valentine’s Dessert for Two

I like to think I know my desserts, but I apparently I have been missing out because I’d never heard of a “tartufo” before this week! A tartufo, as it turns out, is a dessert that originated in the Calabria region of Italy and consists of two flavors of ice cream coated in a thin shell of chocolate. It is a simple dessert, but looks incredibly beautiful and elegant. And it’s surprisingly easy to make!

I thought this simply elegant dessert would make a romantic dessert for two to share after a Valentine’s Day meal. We used chocolate and strawberry in ours, but you can feel free to substitute in you and your sweetheart’s favorite ice cream flavors. After all, nothing says “I love you” quite like making your partner a dessert using their favorite flavor of ice cream. ;-)

Chocolate-Pistachio Tartufo

• 1/2 cup chocolate ice cream
• 1/2 cup strawberry ice cream
• 2 maraschino cherries
• 5 pieces of brownie brittle (or chocolate wafer cookies)
• 2 1/2 tsp melted coconut oil, divided
• 2 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

Start by lining the inside of a small bowl with plastic wrap, leaving several inches of overhang on all sides. Place the two ice cream flavors side by side in the lined bowl, and pack them down with the back of a spoon until you achieve a flat surface. (Tip: it’s much easier to pack the ice cream if you let it sit out on the counter for a few minutes before scooping!)

Once the ice cream is packed in, create a small divot in each flavor, and place a maraschino cherry inside. Cover the holes back up with ice cream, then wrap the extra plastic wrap over to seal it, and place it in the freezer for at least 2 hours (but you can leave it overnight if you wish!).

Take the chocolate wafer cookies and break them down into crumbs. You can do this by smashing them in a bag, or pulsing them in a food processor or blender. You want fine crumbs, but not so fine that it’s powdery.

Place the cookie crumbs and 1 tsp of the melted coconut oil in a small bowl, and mix until the oil is well incorporated. Remove the ice cream bowl from the freezer, and peel back the plastic wrap from the top. Place the cookie mixture on top, smooth it out with a fork or spatula, then replace the plastic wrap. Put the bowl back into the freezer for at least another 15 minutes or so.

In a double boiler (or a bowl placed on top of a simmering pan of water, melt the chopped bits of chocolate until its smooth. Add the remaining 1 1/2 tsp of melted coconut oil, and mix well.

Place a wire cooling rack on top of a baking sheet. When the 15 minutes is up, fold back the plastic wrap from the surface of the ice cream, and turn the bowl upside-down onto the wire rack. If the ice cream needs some convincing to fall out of the bowl, place dish towel soaked with hot water onto the bowl. Remove the plastic wrap from the ice cream.

Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the domed surface of the ice cream, starting at the center and moving outward, in one smooth motion. Place the whole thing (rack and baking sheet included) into the freezer for at least 5 minutes, to allow the chocolate to set up.

Serve by using a thin spatula to transfer the tartufo to a plate. (And if you want to make this dessert ahead of time, you can keep it in the freezer for up to a week!)  Happy Valentine’s Day! :-)

What is your favorite Valentine’s Day dessert?

Chocolate-Pistachio Tartufo

Jill Nystul

I like to think I know my desserts, but I apparently I have been missing out because I’d never heard of a “tartufo” before this week! It is a simple dessert, but looks incredibly beautiful and elegant. And it’s surprisingly easy to make!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Servings 2 people

Calories 366 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1/2 cup chocolate ice cream
• 1/2 cup strawberry ice cream
• 2 maraschino cherries
• 5 pieces of brownie brittle or chocolate wafer cookies
• 2 1/2 tsp melted coconut oil divided
• 2 oz semisweet chocolate chopped

Instructions

 

• Line the inside of a small bowl with plastic wrap, leaving several inches of overhang on all sides.
• Place the two ice cream flavors side by side in the lined bowl, and pack them down with the back of a spoon until you achieve a flat surface.
• Create a small divot in each flavor, and place a maraschino cherry inside.
• Cover the holes back up with ice cream, then wrap the extra plastic wrap over to seal it, and place it in the freezer for at least 2 hours (but you can leave it overnight if you wish!).
• Break chocolate wafer cookies down into crumbs with food processor or blender.
• Place the cookie crumbs and 1 tsp of the melted coconut oil in a small bowl, and mix until the oil is well incorporated.
• Remove the ice cream bowl from the freezer, and peel back the plastic wrap from the top. Place the cookie mixture on top, smooth it out with a fork or spatula, then replace the plastic wrap. Put the bowl back into the freezer for at least another 15 minutes or so.
• In a double boiler (or a bowl placed on top of a simmering pan of water, melt the chopped bits of chocolate until its smooth. Add the remaining 1 1/2 tsp of melted coconut oil, and mix well.
• Place a wire cooling rack on top of a baking sheet. When the 15 minutes is up, fold back the plastic wrap from the surface of the ice cream, and turn the bowl upside-down onto the wire rack.
• Remove the plastic wrap from the ice cream.
• Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the domed surface of the ice cream, starting at the center and moving outward, in one smooth motion. Place the whole thing (rack and baking sheet included) into the freezer for at least 5 minutes, to allow the chocolate to set up.
• Serve by using a thin spatula to transfer the tartufo to a plate.

Nutrition

Serving: 2peopleCalories: 366kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 4gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 65mgPotassium: 304mgFiber: 3gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 245IUVitamin C: 2.6mgCalcium: 93mgIron: 2.2mg