Chocolate-Hazelnut Gelato Truffle (Tartufo di Pizzo)
Tartufo di Pizzo Say it: tar-TOO-foh dee PEET-soh
Tartufo di Pizzo is a celebrated gelato dessert from Pizzo, a seaside town in Calabria, Italy. It looks like a dark cocoa-dusted truffle, but inside are layers of hazelnut and chocolate gelato wrapped around a soft chocolate heart. The contrast is the point: cold, creamy gelato gives way to a glossy, almost molten center. It is eaten as a special-occasion dessert, especially in summer, and is best enjoyed slowly before it melts.
Chocolate-Hazelnut Gelato Truffle (Tartufo di Pizzo)
Tartufo di Pizzo
Pronounced tar-TOO-foh dee PEET-soh
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Level
- Medium
Allergens: contains milk, egg, nuts. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the chocolate centers
For the gelato base
For coating
Method
Put the 2 oz chopped chocolate and butter in a small bowl. Warm the 3 tbsp cream until steaming, pour it over the chocolate, wait 1 minute, then stir until smooth and glossy. Cool to room temperature, refrigerate for 20 minutes until scoopable, divide into 4 portions, roll into balls, and freeze until hard, at least 30 minutes.
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until pale. In a saucepan, heat the milk and 1/2 cup cream until steaming but not boiling. Gradually whisk the hot milk into the yolks, then return the mixture to the saucepan.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard reaches 170°F (77°C) or coats the back of a spoon, 5–8 minutes; do not let it boil. Strain into a clean bowl and cool for 10 minutes.
Stir the hazelnut paste into one half of the custard and the melted 1 1/2 oz chocolate into the other half. Cover both surfaces with plastic wrap and chill completely, at least 2 hours or overnight.
Churn the hazelnut custard in an ice cream maker until thick and soft-serve, 20–25 minutes, then transfer to a container and freeze. Churn the chocolate custard the same way. If either softens too much during assembly, return it to the freezer for 15–20 minutes.
For each tartufo, lay a 12-inch (30 cm) square of plastic wrap on the counter. Press about 1/4 cup (60 ml) hazelnut gelato and 1/4 cup (60 ml) chocolate gelato together into a flat round, place a frozen chocolate core in the center, then gather the plastic wrap and twist firmly into a ball. Freeze for 1 hour.
Put the cocoa powder in a shallow bowl. Unwrap the frozen tartufi, roll them in cocoa to coat evenly, reshape quickly, and return to the freezer for 30 minutes. Serve firm, with the centers soft.
Regional variants
Some Calabrian versions add a spoonful of rum or vanilla to the chocolate center, and outside Pizzo a tartufo may be rolled in crushed nuts or chocolate crumbs instead of cocoa.
Cook's notes
- No ice cream maker? Freeze each custard in a shallow dish, whisking every 30 minutes until firm, then assemble; the texture will be slightly denser.
- Work quickly and keep the gelato very cold while shaping; warm gelato will trap air and make the truffles collapse.
- Let a plated tartufo stand for 3–5 minutes before serving so the chocolate center softens to a molten texture.
Serve with
Serve on its own, or with a small espresso.
Make ahead and storage
Freeze uncoated tartufi up to 3 days; roll in cocoa just before serving and let stand 3–5 minutes to soften the center.
