Fresh Tortoni

Tortoni is an old-school Italian-American frozen dessert that feels fancy but takes about 20 minutes to assemble. Softened vanilla ice cream gets folded with whipped topping and almond extract, scooped into paper-lined muffin cups, and frozen into individual portions that come out looking like you ordered them from a restaurant.

The almond extract is what makes tortoni taste like tortoni. It gives the vanilla ice cream a distinctive nutty, almost marzipan-like flavor that’s different from anything you’d find in the freezer aisle. Chopped almonds folded into the mix and scattered on top add crunch to every bite.

Soften the ice cream by breaking it up with a wooden spoon, not by letting it melt. You want it pliable enough to fold in the whipped topping without deflating it, but still cold enough to hold its shape in the cups. A maraschino cherry half on top before serving is the classic finish.

Kitchen Tips

• Work quickly once the ice cream is softened. If it gets too warm, the texture turns icy when refrozen instead of smooth and creamy
• Use paper baking cups for easy removal and a clean presentation
• Toast the almonds in a dry skillet before folding in for deeper, nuttier flavor
• These keep well in the freezer for up to a week, covered tightly with plastic wrap

Variations

• Use chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla for a chocolate tortoni with almond
• Fold in mini chocolate chips along with the almonds for a stracciatella twist
• Replace almond extract with rum extract and add toasted coconut for a tropical version