Tuesdays with Dorie: Chocolate-Banded Ice Cream Torte
August 26, 2008 at 4:36 am | Posted in groups, ice creams & frozen, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 54 Comments
I’m just going to admit that I almost pooped out on TWD this week. I’ve been feeling a little weighed down lately, ya know, and I wasn’t so sure that something called a “Chocolate-Banded Ice Cream Torte” was really going to help. But then I felt guilty…I haven’t missed a week for no good reason yet, and thought it best not to go down that road. Besides, I didn’t want to let down Amy of Food, Family and Fun, who chose this week’s recipe. The deal I struck with myself was to make just two individual servings– one for R and one for me.
I knew that my solo portions wouldn’t need to be as tall as Dorie’s large torte, so I could get away with less of everything. I made just 1/8 of the ganache recipe (or enough for one Dorie-sized serving), and divvied it up between my two little molds, which were actually sturdy, straight sided muffin wrappers. (FYI: The truffle cream does use raw eggs, so if you are sensitive to that, then you may want to skip this recipe or seek out pasteurized eggs, or do whatever you would normally do in this case.) Dorie uses raspberry-flavored ice cream in her torte, but I can’t say that I’ve ever been a fan of fruit and chocolate combos. Instead, I bought two scoops of condensed milk ice cream from a Sydney shop called Passion Flower, which has lots of cool Asian-inspired flavors (I wasn’t sure how black sesame or taro would pair with chocolate, so I played it safe). Back at home, I ground up some hazelnut praline, leftover from this cake, and stirred that in to the ice cream.
The key to serving a frozen dessert like this is to it pull it out of the freezer and let it temper on the counter a few minutes beforehand. Obviously you don’t want it to start melting, but if the ice cream begins to soften just a tad, it’s much more pleasant to eat and will actually taste better, too.
I’m so glad I pulled my head out from you-know-where and got this one done! It was fantastic, and a bit more classy than the normal mid-week dessert around these parts. The chocolate ganache doesn’t freeze solid, but becomes almost chewy when cold. And I really loved it in combination with the hazelnut praline, which retained its sweet crunch in the ice cream.
Look in Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan or read Food, Family and Fun to find the recipe. Don’t forget to check out the TWD Blogroll to see what over 250 other people had to say!
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a whisk and a spoon 
Oh this looks amazing and I really wanted to do this one this week but I don’t do raw eggs in a dessert. I’m sure it taste delish though.
Comment by Landa— August 26, 2008 #
You went above and beyond with this TWD dessert – looks spectacular!!
Hope the busyness eases up for you soon!
Comment by VeggieGirl— August 26, 2008 #
Wow, that looks great!
Comment by Ulrike aka ostwestwind— August 26, 2008 #
Your mini tortes look delicious. My ice cream is flavored with hazelnut praline, too, but I used leftover paste from last month’s Daring Bakers cake.
Comment by Di— August 26, 2008 #
Pretty, very pretty.
Comment by Jenny— August 26, 2008 #
ooh the hazelnut praline sounds awesome! beautiful pics too 🙂 i really need to get small pans, these big portions are killing me!
Comment by kim— August 26, 2008 #
THIS LOOKS GOOD, HOWEVER I M STILL DREAMING ABOUT YOUR PREVIOUS POST. 🙂
Comment by snooky doodle— August 26, 2008 #
Wow! These look great, great! I was about to pull out too as I couldn’t bring this to work (too many people with various stages of age and heath) so I made two little ones too. However, yours looks so much better than mine! Yours are just gorgeous!!
Comment by food librarian— August 26, 2008 #
This looks beautiful! The ice cream part sounds really delicious.
Comment by Erin— August 26, 2008 #
That looks really delicious. I’d probably not be game enough to try it, with the raw eggs, but that’s because I’m a wuss. If they served it in a cafe or something, I’m sure I’d buy and eat it with no problem, simply because I didn’t know! 🙂
Comment by Katie— August 26, 2008 #
ohmygod. I am droooling. Way to reduce the recipe for you and R. I need to learn how to do that better for husband and hips. LOL. Great job!
Clara @ iheartfood4thought
Comment by CB— August 26, 2008 #
that just looks SO beautiful….
Comment by kate— August 26, 2008 #
Wow – that’s amazingly pretty. I had difficulty lining up layers on a full-sized torte, let alone those cute little things! Great idea to use condensed milk ice cream and praline paste, it sounds delicious.
Comment by Caitlin— August 26, 2008 #
Hazelnut praline would be really yummy. I did individual portions too. They looks so cute!
Comment by Bria— August 26, 2008 #
It looks wonderfully delicious. You are stronger than me, I pooped out on this one and now I am wishing I hadn’t!
Comment by Mary Ann— August 26, 2008 #
looks YUMMY! i might skip this week because i am doing a sugar detox for 5 days and seriously…i don’t know if i have the willpower to make this and not be snitching tastes of it the whole time. i will live vicariously…
Comment by Mara— August 26, 2008 #
i decided to go mini, too! i love the ice cream flavor combo you went with!
Comment by Jaime— August 26, 2008 #
Wow, those look delicious. Wish I would have thought to make miniatures, there is half a cake left in my freezer and I can’t stop eating it.
Comment by Jessie— August 26, 2008 #
Lovely! What a nice flavor combo!
Comment by Barbara— August 26, 2008 #
Oh wow this looks amazing! 🙂 A great summertime dessert.
Comment by Gigi— August 26, 2008 #
Steph your torte looks amazing! I am so in awe of your efforts. What a delicious looking concoction you have created! Well done!
Comment by Marie— August 26, 2008 #
Glad to see I was not the only one to go with a different flavor! Looks great.
Comment by peabody— August 26, 2008 #
Simply beautiful, aren’t you clever making mini ones!
Comment by Natashya— August 26, 2008 #
Very Nice! I like the smaller size!
Comment by Esther— August 26, 2008 #
I almost skipped this also! Your mini turned out just beautiful. I’m with you on the chocolate and fruit thing, AND the added crunch.
Comment by noe— August 26, 2008 #
Yum! I’m still thinking about how delicious that praline paste from the hazelnut gateau was… bet it tasted even better in icecream!
Comment by Steph— August 26, 2008 #
Yours came out absolutely perfect. I’m inspired to try it again as a smaller version. That was smart to use the extra hazelnuts from your cake, which by the way looks absolutely smashing.
Comment by Erin— August 27, 2008 #
They look beautiful, I love the individual portions! It wasn’t possible for me to make the torte this week, but definitely another time 🙂
Comment by nickki— August 27, 2008 #
Oh my gosh those look fabulous! You post and pictures are always so inspiring.
Comment by April B— August 27, 2008 #
Yours looks really lovely!
Have a delicious day 🙂
Comment by Em— August 27, 2008 #
GORGEOUS! I mad a mini one too, but it was a melty mess!
Comment by Teanna— August 27, 2008 #
Gorgeous! Beautiful job, I’m glad you didn’t skip!
Comment by Beryl— August 27, 2008 #
It looks decadent and I think it would perk me up if I was feeling weighed down! I’m glad you made it and shared!
Comment by Camille— August 27, 2008 #
That Ice Cream looks amazing with the chocolate. So much decadence, so little time.
Comment by teaandscones— August 27, 2008 #
This is so beautiful! I love the hazelnuts. Just gorgeous – I’m happy you took the time, too…
Comment by macduff— August 27, 2008 #
Looks like something I would order at a fancy restraunt! Great minis!
Comment by Michelle— August 27, 2008 #
Looks absolutely gorgeous!
Comment by chocolatechic— August 27, 2008 #
I had no time this week…yours looks gorgeous!!!
Comment by Tara— August 27, 2008 #
I just could not do it this week – I had way too much going on. Your looks lovely!
Comment by Maya— August 27, 2008 #
Looks beautiful! I love the mini version!
Comment by Cathy— August 27, 2008 #
wow, that looks great! I so have to make this at some stage. have a great time in Chch too – my parents live there. It’s a shame you’re not coming to Auckland so we could have caught up!
Comment by Tammy— August 27, 2008 #
Yumm! This looks incredible! I’m new to the TWD clan and plan to start with next week’s recipe, but after seeing these photos I may need to make time for a little recipe rewind. Great site! Great post! Keep it up!
Comment by Maggie— August 27, 2008 #
This looks fabulous. I just saw one on another blog and was thinking that this dessert looked nasty – this has changed my mind!!
Comment by Nicisme— August 27, 2008 #
Inspired flavor combinations and tempting photography! Beautiful!
Comment by Matt— August 27, 2008 #
Well I see that you were busy, busy while I was gone! What beautiful chefs-d’oeuvres ou have concocted us! …I’ll have to spend a day or two to check it all out!
Comment by Vibi— August 28, 2008 #
i’m not so fond of fruit chocolate combos either.. I thought it was just me… your torte looks delicious and sounds delicious too!
Comment by samele— August 28, 2008 #
Your torte looks gorgeous and the thought of sweetened condensed milk ice cream is making my knees week…fabulous!
Comment by mari— August 28, 2008 #
Love the little ice-cream torte! Looks very pretty.
Comment by Piggy— August 28, 2008 #
I think I need to plan a trip to Sydney just to have black sesame taro ice cream! What a great shop to have in your neighborhood. Your torte is beautiful.
Comment by Carol Peterman— August 28, 2008 #
Can I have a piece please??? I think it would stand up on the long flight don’t you? It looks so delicious! Great job!
Comment by Heather B— August 28, 2008 #
i remember that ice cream shop passion flower. Their Black sesame icecream was the bomb! you’ve got to try that!
Comment by Sihan— August 28, 2008 #
this just looks absolutely gorgeous and would be an amazing dessert after the finish of any meal. i really love how you consistently (and beautifully!) scale down the recipes. i’m a horrible scaler-downer!
Comment by mimi— August 28, 2008 #
Your torte looks incredible. I’m impressed that you were able to make 1/8 of the ganache!!
Comment by Judy— August 29, 2008 #
One of the most beautiful phrases in the English language: hazelnut praline. They look beautiful!
Comment by Lillian— August 29, 2008 #