Biscuit Tortoni & Spumoni "Semi-Freddo" Cups
Chapter 5 — Desserts & After-Dinner
If you grew up anywhere near a proper red-sauce joint, your meal ended with a choice: a slice of tri-colored Spumoni, or a little pleated paper cup of Biscuit Tortoni. We refuse to make you choose. This is an unapologetic, fully loaded Italian-American heavyweight—a rich mascarpone semifreddo layered with pistachio, dark chocolate, and neon-red cherries, crowned with amaretto and crushed macaroons. It sits patiently in the deep freeze while the four-hour Sunday gravy does its thing, ready to cap off the night alongside a shot of espresso and a table full of people.
Before you start
Set up your freezing vessel.
Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with pleated white paper baking cups or foil muffin liners. This mimics the classic restaurant presentation and keeps the cups stable in the freezer.
Ingredients
- heavy whipping cream4 cup
- sweetened condensed milk14 oz
- mascarpone cheese8 oz
- kosher salt1 tsp
- pistachio butter1/3 cup
- shelled pistachios1/4 cup
- Maraschino cherries1/2 cup
- Maraschino cherry juice1 tbsp
- dark chocolate2 oz
- Amaretto liqueur2 tbsp
- almond extract1/2 tsp
- imported Italian Amaretti cookies1 1/2 cup
- sliced almonds1/2 cup
- whole Maraschino cherries12 large
Method
- 01
Whip the master base.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cold heavy cream, mascarpone cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and kosher salt. Whip on medium speed until the mixture holds firm, billowy peaks, being careful not to over-whip it into butter.
- 02
Divide the base into three separate bowls.
You are going to build three distinct layers from this single master semifreddo.
- 03
Mix and freeze the pistachio layer.
Gently fold the pistachio butter and chopped pistachios into the first bowl. Spoon this green mixture into the bottom third of your prepared cups, tap the tin to level them out, and freeze for 15 minutes.
- 04
Mix and freeze the cherry-chocolate layer.
Fold the grated dark chocolate, chopped cherries, and cherry juice into the second bowl. Spoon this pink layer directly over the slightly firmed pistachio layer, then return the tin to the freezer for another 15 minutes.
- 05
Build the Tortoni crown.
Into the final bowl, fold the Amaretto liqueur, almond extract, and 1 cup of the crushed Amaretti cookies. Spoon this mixture over the cherry layer, filling the cups slightly past the rim to create a generous dome.
- 06
Garnish unapologetically.
Sprinkle the tops heavily with the reserved half-cup of Amaretti crumbs and toasted sliced almonds. Press a single whole Maraschino cherry right into the center of each cup.
- 07
Wrap tightly and freeze deep.
Wrap the entire muffin tin in plastic wrap, ensuring you don't smash the cherries. Freeze for at least 6 hours, or ideally overnight, to let the alcohol and sugars set the texture perfectly.
- 08
Temper slightly before serving.
Pull the cups from the freezer 5 to 10 minutes before dessert time so they soften enough to yield perfectly to a spoon.
Notes
Use proper Italian Amaretti.
You want the hard, crunchy imported amaretti cookies for this, not the soft chewy ones, so they retain their texture when folded into the cream.
Embrace the pantry cherries.
Traditional Italian Spumone uses sour cherries in syrup, but authentic Italian-American restaurant food demands the neon-red Maraschino cherry. Do not apologize for this.
From Cook Red Sauce at Home.