Traditional Italian Tortoni Recipes

TORTONI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Break the macaroons into pieces and toast them on a baking sheet until golden, dry and crumbly. Let cool. Grind to fine crumbs in a food processor. You need about 1 cup.
• Combine the sugar and 3/4 cup water in a small, heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook until the syrup reaches 230 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Meanwhile, in a mixer, whip the egg whites until they form firm peaks. By hand, whip the yolks until fluffy. In the mixer bowl, fold together the whites and yolks.
• When the sugar is ready, turn on the mixer to medium speed and, with it running, slowly pour in the syrup in a fine thread. Reduce the speed to low and whip until the mixture cools to room temperature. Mix in the vanilla.
• Whip the cream and fold it into the egg mixture.
• Line the base of a 2-quart soufflé dish (or other mold) with parchment. Spoon half the crumbs into the base. Cover with the mousse. Top with the remaining crumbs. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
• Dip the base of the dish in a bowl of hot water. Run a knife around the edge of the mold, then invert onto a plate. Cut into wedges.

ALMOND TORTONI

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat egg white until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar, and continue beating until thick and glossy; set aside.
• Whip cream in a large bowl. Carefully fold in sherry, almond extract, macaroon crumbs, ground almonds, and chopped red and green cherries. Gently fold egg white into cream mixture.
• Spoon into 8 paper baking cups placed in medium size muffin tray. Sprinkle with slivered almonds. Cover muffin tray with clear plastic wrap, then wrap with aluminum foil. Freeze overnight.
• To serve: Let sit for 5 minutes at room temperature, then garnish with maraschino cherry halves.

TORRONE (ITALIAN NUT AND NOUGAT CONFECTION)

Steps:

• Line an 8x11-inch baking dish with plastic wrap, allowing ends to hang over the sides. Place 1 sheet of 8x10 wafer paper in the bottom of the pan. Keep the roasted almonds and pistachios in a warm place until ready to add at the end. This makes it easier to mix them in.
• Pour honey into a heavy-bottomed pot. Add sugar. Mix and stir over low heat with a spatula, stirring constantly until mixture turns from grainy to silky and smooth, about 30 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
• Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl; add a pinch of salt. Whisk until whites form soft peaks, 3 to 4 minutes. Place pot back on low heat. Gradually whisk about a quarter of the whipped egg whites into the honey/sugar mixture; whisk in the remaining egg whites in 3 more batches.
• Continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula until mixture turns a brighter white and a ribbon of the mixture does not immediately incorporate back into the rest of the mixture and stays intact on the surface for a while. This will take about 40 minutes. You can add a few drops of the mixture into a small bowl of ice cold water to test the consistency; ideally it should feel like soft clay.
• Whisk in vanilla and lemon zest. Add warm almonds and pistachios and stir to incorporate evenly.
• Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Even out as best you can with a clean oiled spatula. Top with 2nd sheet of wafer paper, shiny side up. Cover with plastic wrap and press down evenly, tamping mixture down gently but firmly. Remove top layer of plastic.
• Allow torrone to sit at room temperature until cool, firm, and ready to cut, 1 or 2 hours. Lift torrone from baking dish with the edges of the bottom layer of plastic wrap. Invert and remove plastic from the bottom. If the plastic wrap is difficult to remove from the edges of the torrone, you can trim off the edges.
• Cut torrone into 1-inch squares using a sharp serrated knife.

BISCUIT TORTONI

Steps:

• Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, slowly beat the almond paste, almond extract, and confectioners' sugar until completely blended. Add the egg white and beat until smooth. Let the batter rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Spoon the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch tip. Pipe out 1-inch mounds of the batter onto a parchment-lined or nonstick cookie sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until puffed and tan. Set on a rack to cool. When completely cool and crisp, chop the macaroons in a food processor. You should have approximately 1 1/4 cups of crumbs.
• Tortoni Cream: 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. Freeze for 4 hours or until firm.

BRITTLE CRUNCH TORTONI

Steps:

• Reserve 2 Tbsp. of the peanut brittle for topping. Place marshmallow creme in medium bowl. Gradually add milk, beating with electric mixer on medium speed after each addition until well blended. Gently stir in the remaining peanut brittle and whipped topping.
• Spoon evenly into 9 paper-lined medium muffin cups. Sprinkle with the reserved 2 Tbsp. peanut brittle.
• Freeze 2 hours or until firm. Store leftover desserts in freezer.

TORTONI

Steps:

• Scoop ice cream into a bowl; stir until smooth but not melted.
• Stir in pecans, chopped cherries, rum extract and vanilla.
• Spoon into foil baking cups; freeze until firm.
• To serve, garnish each with 1 t whipped cream and a cherry.

FROZEN TORTONI 1972

Steps:

• beat softened cream cheese with all other ingredients, until smooth and thick fluffy.
• Fold in crumbs, combing well.
• Place paper baking cups in muffin tins.
• Spoon prepared mixture into liners.
• Cover and freeze--.
• Garnish with cherry on stem and a drizzle of melted semisweet chocolate--.