Ice Cream Truffle

Name: Ice Cream Truffle
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 15
Ingredients: Whole milk 1 ¼ cup; Dark chocolate 7.1 oz; Sugar 0.3 cup; Fresh liquid cream 0.4 cup; Whole milk 1 ¼ cup; Fresh liquid cream &frac13; cup; Sugar ½ cup; Hazelnut paste 2.5 oz; Fresh liquid cream 0.4 cup; Glucose 2 tsp; Dark chocolate 3.5 oz; Unsweetened cocoa powder 1 ¼ cup

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271

Calories per serving

Energy Kcal 271
Carbohydrates g 25.5
of which sugars g 24.7
Protein g 4.9
Fats g 16.6
of which saturated fat g 8.2
Fiber g 2.5
Cholesterol mg 17
Sodium mg 90

Gluten Free
Vegetarian

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 10 min
Makes: 15
Cost: Average
Note plus the freezing time for the various phases

PRESENTATION

Truffle gelato hails from the southern Italian town of Pizzo in Calabria, a place where making this delicious treat by hand has been a thing since the 1950s. And look, this isn’t just any ice cream—truffle gelato offers a unique, artisan twist. The classic version? It blends creamy hazelnut and chocolate gelato, shaped into a sphere with a rich chocolate ganache center hiding inside. Really, it’s something else. Just before serving, it’s dusted with cocoa powder for that extra burst of flavor.

Inspired by the famous Turin chocolate truffles, Calabrians transformed it into a cool, soft dessert—perfect for enjoying with a spoon. Seriously, each bite is a mix of textures, contrasting the nutty, smooth gelato with the dense, almost gooey chocolate core. Thing is, in Calabria, variety is the spice of life. You’ll often find different versions of truffle ice cream at pastry shops or festive gatherings. Pistachio, coffee, or even a bold black truffle gelato for those looking for something adventurous. So so good.

The beauty of this dessert? It’s versatile. Some stick to the hazelnut and chocolate, while others dive into flavors like white chocolate, almond, or even orange zest for a zesty twist. And listen, it’s all about the surprise—break into the center, and you might discover melty ganache, a hint of liqueur, or a hidden swirl of fruit. With an emphasis on handcrafting—plus that classic attention to detail—every version of truffle gelato feels special, like a mini celebration in a bowl.

Whether you call it truffle gelato or go for fancier gourmet gelato flavors, this dish brings fun to dessert, making it feel like an event. First cold, velvety spoonful? Always a little adventure, especially if you’re up for experimenting with flavors to see what you really really love most. So next time you’re in Calabria or craving something unique, dive into a bowl of truffle gelato for a taste experience.

INGREDIENTS

271

Calories per serving

Ingredients for chocolate ice cream: Whole milk 1 ¼ cup (300 g); Dark chocolate 7.1 oz (200 g); Sugar 0.3 cup (50 g); Fresh liquid cream 0.4 cup (100 g)

for hazelnut ice cream: Whole milk 1 ¼ cup (300 g); Fresh liquid cream ⅓ cup (100 g); Sugar ½ cup (100 g); Hazelnut paste 2.5 oz (70 g)

for the ganache heart: Fresh liquid cream 0.4 cup (100 g); Glucose 2 tsp (10 g); Dark chocolate 3.5 oz (100 g)

for decorating: Unsweetened cocoa powder 1 ¼ cup (100 g)

Preparation

How to prepare Ice Cream Truffle

To prepare the ice cream truffle, start by making the chocolate ice cream. Finely chop the dark chocolate and set it aside 1. Pour the cream into a saucepan and bring it just below boiling, then remove it from the heat and add the chocolate 2 and the sugar 3.

Stir to combine all the ingredients 4 and also add the lukewarm milk 5, stir again 6, and let cool to room temperature.

Once cooled, pour the chocolate mixture into the ice cream maker 7 and let it churn for 35 minutes, until you get a rather creamy mixture 8. Then transfer the chocolate ice cream to a shallow dish, cover it with plastic wrap 9, and place it in the freezer for at least 2 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare the hazelnut ice cream. Pour the milk, cream 10, sugar 11, and hazelnut paste 12 into a bowl.

Mix everything with a whisk until the ingredients are combined and pour the mixture into the ice cream maker 13 and let it churn for 30 minutes, until you get a rather creamy mixture 14. Transfer the hazelnut ice cream to a shallow dish, covered with plastic wrap 15, and place it in the freezer for at least 2 hours.

At this point, prepare the dark chocolate ganache, which will be the heart of your ice cream truffle. Coarsely chop the dark chocolate, pour the cream into a pot, and bring it just below boiling over low heat. Turn off the heat, add the chocolate to the hot cream 16, and also add the glucose 17. Then mix everything until you get a uniform mixture 18.

Transfer the chocolate ganache to a dish 19 and cover with plastic wrap in contact 20. Allow to cool to room temperature, transfer it to a piping bag, and place it in the refrigerator to firm up 21.

Take the silicone mold (16.2 oz capacity) and fill the half spheres with a scoop of chocolate ice cream 22, level it using a spatula 23, and place in the freezer for another hour. Take another mold and, again using the scoop, fill the half spheres with hazelnut ice cream 24.

Level the surface 25 and place this one in the freezer for an hour as well. After this time, remove it from the freezer and use a small scoop to create a cavity 26 and fill it with the chocolate ganache 27.

Level again 28 and place in the freezer for an hour. At this point, take both molds and position them one on top of the other 29 so that the ice cream half spheres align. Let them join by applying gentle pressure with your hands 30 and place in the freezer for another hour.

Remove the mold from the freezer when serving your ice cream truffle. Gently unmold the spheres: apply gentle pressure on both molds simultaneously to release each ice cream truffle 31 and roll them in cocoa powder 32. Place the truffles on a serving plate and serve 33.

Storage

Ice cream truffles can be stored in the freezer for a month and coated in cocoa powder when serving.

Advice

When making the ice cream truffle, it is advisable to work in a room that is not too warm, as it tends to melt very easily.

Curiosity

After World War II, the ice cream truffle was born in Pizzo. Although it wasn't an invention created on purpose but just a chance occurrence, this dessert gained immediate fame. It is said that the mastermind behind it was a certain "Don Pippo", who, on the occasion of a patrician wedding, having run out of molds and forms to package the ice cream, placed a portion of hazelnut ice cream over a layer of chocolate ice cream in the palm of his hand, then inserted melted chocolate inside and wrapped it all in a sheet of food paper, giving it the typical truffle shape. Once frozen, its success made it one of the most famous ice creams in the world!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.