Cassata Gelata I (molded Ice Cream)

This is one of the simplest versions of this wonderful dessert which requires no cooking, just a little time and patience which will, I promise, be amply rewarded. I recommend using really good quality store-bought ice cream but, if you wish, you can reduce the calories and fat by using frozen yogurt. But you don't eat this every day, so go for it, whipped cream and all. Just make sure the bowl you use will fit into your freezer. Almost all the time is freezing time.

• Ready In: 6 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 1  pint vanilla ice cream
• 1  pint chocolate ice cream
• 1  pint pistachio ice cream
• 2 1⁄2 cups heavy cream (not ultra-pastuerized)
• 1⁄4 cup powdered sugar
• 1⁄2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and finely chopped
• 1⁄4 lb bittersweet chocolate (I use Lindt or Caillebaut)

Directions

1. Soften the chocolate ice cream.
2. Coat the inside of a two-quart bowl (stainless steel is the easiest) with the chocolate ice cream.
3. Place the bowl in the freezer and allow the chocolate layer to harden.
4. While the chocolate is hardening, soften the vanilla ice cream.
5. When the chocolate layer is frozen, take the bowl from the freezer and coat the inside with the vanilla ice cream.
6. Replace the bowl in the freezer and take out the pistachio ice cream and let it soften.
7. When the vanilla ice cream is hard, take out the bowl and coat the inside with the pistachio ice cream.
8. Replace in the freezer.
9. Whip one cup of the cream with two tablespoons of the sugar.
10. Fold the nuts into the cream mixture and place the cream/nut mixture into the center of the bowl.
11. Replace it in the freezer while you whip the remaining cream and sugar.
12. When you're ready to serve, remove the bowl and unmold the ice cream onto your serving platter.
13. If it doesn't come out easily, dip the bowl into warm water and try again; it should come right out.
14. Now cover the ice cream 'mound' with whipped cream.
15. If you want it make it fancy, put some whipped cream into a pastry bag and make rosettes around the edge and on top.
16. With a vegetable peeler, shave off curls of the chocolate and garnish the platter.
17. Bring a cake server and a pitcher of warm water to the table.
18. Dip the server in the water and slice servings of the cassata.