Gelato Di Tartufo

When Alan, Lauren and I went to Italy, we ate Gelato. A lot. In fact, a funny waiter even called Mr. Smith "Mr. Gelato" because Alan loved that singular frozen dessert so much. I especially liked the chocolate gelato. This recipe is one that you can use with gelato or any rich chocolate ice cream. I found it long ago in 'Vogue' or a 'Bazaar' magazine. It's a ball of chocolate ice-cream, filled with liqueur-soaked cherries and rolled in bittersweet chocolate shavings. It looks like a truffle--you know, those coal-like black things that the French search for with pigs in the forest. But it tastes... Fantastico! Perfect easy dessert for an Italian Festa.

Note: The original recipe was from the now defunct N.Y. restaurant, Cafe Tartufo. It serves 6 chocolate lovers.

Ingredients:

3 C rich chocolate ice cream or gelato
1 box (3 1/2 oz. size) glace cherries
1/4 C Cheri-Suisse liqueur
2 pkg. (8-oz.) bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate
2 C heavy cream
4 T superfine sugar or powdered sugar
1/4 t pure vanilla
6 pirouette cookies

Directions: Two days or more before serving, cut cherries in half and marinate in liqueur at room temperature. Chop the chocolate very fine (best done in a food processor) and refrigerate. Make 6 ice cream balls and place in individual dishes. Insert in each of the balls 6 halves of the cherries. Roll each ball in chopped chocolate, coating thoroughly. Place the Tartufos in the freezer overnight (if you like they can be frozen for a week ahead). To serve, pipe a dollop of whipped cream into the center of a dessert plate. Place a Tartufo in the corner of the cream and top with a big cap of whipped cream. Sprinkle with finely chopped chocolate and then stick a pirouette cookie into the cream on a diagonal. Looks amazing, tastes even better!