Tortoni from my Childhood

White Bear Lake is frozen - a good three-four feet. We have been waking up to fifteen below zero F. I will not speak of wind chill. Seems hardly the time for a frozen dessert.

But there's something about the New Year that makes me reflect on life, days, family, past and somehow my meandering mind has been obsessing on my favorite childhood dessert. A tortoni. Almondy-creamy, semi-freddo, simple, luscious.

Once upon a time in days of yore, New York City Italian restaurants all had red-checkered tablecloths, a Chianti bottle with a candle growing out of it and a simple menu of pastas with red sauces. Sometimes, a Chicken Parmigiana dinner would be thrown in. But basically it was spaghetti, manicotti or lasagne with red sauce. Linguine with white clam sauce and sometimes a Veal Marsala.

There wasn't even pizza! Pizza was reserved for the Pizza Parlours! Dessert was always a choice of spumoni or a tortoni. I always had the tortoni. Always. And now I have been craving one. I find souped-up versions of tortoni - laden with dried fruits, chocolate or whole eggs. They're not my childhood tortoni.

I pared down recipes and this was the closest I could find. Simple, easy, creamy-white (no egg yolks!) and when frozen, it is still warmer than the outdoors.

Tortoni Recipe - serves 8
2 egg whites

4 cups of heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1 tsp almond extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

20 amaretti cookies crushed

garnish: toasted sliced almonds and crushed amaretti cookies

Whip your cream with the sugar and extracts till it is whipped cream consistency. Separately whip your egg whites till glossy and soft peaks form. Fold your egg whites into your whipped cream. Cover the bottom of 8 ramekins with 3/4 of the amaretti crushed cookies. Add the egg-white-almond cream. Freeze for four hours or more. Take out about ten minutes before serving. Garnish with toasted almonds and more amaretti cookies.

Clouds of egg whites folded into the cream keep it feeling light (even though we know it's not)

The crushed amaretti cookies add almond to the tortoni - but I don't think it's necessary. I am wondering about toasting almonds, grinding them and using that as a base.

I love the clouds of cream. Warmer than my clouds of snow.

Kirsten was a wee bit slow eating her tortoni. She was joined by hungry reinderr.

Although I think her brother and boyfriend had something to do with that! I find I still love the dessert of my childhood. It's vintage - as I am. And a wee bit nutty. Happy 2010 all. May it be sweet and nutty and a vintage year!