Tortonis are AMAZING desserts anytime, but especially at Christmas and the Holidays. Essentially an Italian ice cream that is the perfect ending to any meal.
Prep, Cook, Servings
Prep: 20 min.
Cook: Freeze for four hours.
Servings: 8 – 10
Ingredients
1/4 cup almonds, sliced 2 cups heavy cream 1 1/4 cups macaroon crumbs 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar 2 tablespoons dark rum 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (see Note below) 8 – 10 candied cherries (optional) 8 – 10 4oz muffin cups
Instructions
Spread out almonds on a cookie sheet and place in a preheated 325 degree oven for 3 minutes. Turn tray around, toss nuts with a metal spatula and toast for another 3 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix together 1 cup of cream, the macaroon crumbs and confectioners’ sugar. Chill for 30 minutes. Mix in the rum and vanilla and chill for another 30 minutes. Whip the remaining 1 cup of cream to soft peaks and fold into the macaroon mixture.
Divide the mixture among eight 4-ounce paper cups. Top with the almonds and cherries, if desired.
Cover with aluminum foil and freeze for 4 hours or until firm. These will keep in the freezer for 3 days prior to serving.
Notes
Good vanilla makes a HUGE difference in any baking recipe. I use and HIGHLY recommend Nielsen Massey Pure Vanilla Bean Paste. Don’t let the “bourbon” in the name fool you, this is a pure vanilla flavor that is like adding vanilla beans to your recipe. You will never go back to using plain vanilla extract again, which to me just tastes like alcohol.
In addition to traditional muffin pans like these you might also consider silicon muffin pans. The silicon is not nearly so cold to handle when you remove the pan from the freezer, although they will need some support to keep them flat. So either place the silicone pan on a clean freezer rack so they lay flat or support it with a baking sheet. Also check out these spiffy silicon baking cups which are re-useable. A nice alternative to the paper and foil versions.