Biscuit Tortoni

Biscuit Tortoni is a delicious dessert consisting of creamy custard ice cream flavored with crushed amaretti cookies (hence the biscuit in the name), topped with chopped almonds and cherries. Allegedly, it was inspired by an Italian immigrant to France, Giuseppe Tortoni, who introduced Italian gelato to the 18th-century Paris by serving it in his famous café Tortoni, beloved by celebrities such as Manet, Balzac, and Maupassant. It is unclear whether his world-famous café actually offered this creamy dessert or it was actually created in 19th-century New York as an attempt of local restaurants to imitate café Tortoni's charm and atmosphere. Nowadays, it is very hard to find this treat, but in the late 19th century it was extremely popular in the United States, a staple not only at every family-style Italian restaurant, but also at fancy dining establishments such as restaurants in the Waldorf Astoria or the Park Avenue Hotel.