If you’ve been to Vino (a Major Food Group restaurant in the Design District next to Carbone), you may have witnessed the tableside assembly of a gelato sundae for two. The server wheels a cart to the table and ceremoniously ladles Amarena cherries and syrup over mounds of house-made vanilla gelato. The crowning touch is a generous sprinkling of chopped, toasted almonds. It’s absolutely delicious, and at $30, it’s pricey for such a simple dessert.
It occurred to me that this is the easiest dessert to make at home, and for a fraction of the cost. The black cherry topping from Italy is no secret: a gigantic jar of Amarena Toschi — bearing the brand’s iconic red and white design — anchors the prep cart at Vino. You can buy a reasonably sized (17.9-ounce) jar at Jimmy’s Food Store for $15.99, and it’s enough to top 16 gelato scoops. Eataly sells a smaller (8.1-ounce) jar for $11.90, and a larger (21.2-ounce) jar for $22.90.
The almonds take under 10 minutes to toast — and that’s time well spent. Toasting enhances the almonds’ nutty flavor and aroma, and lends a satisfying crunch. Place the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 F oven for 5 to 10 minutes, shaking occasionally for even toasting, until the nuts are golden brown and release their aroma. Although you can chop before toasting, we opt for afterwards, to avoid overcooking the smaller bits.
If you have a gelato or ice cream that you love, you’re set! If not, consider one of the gelatos sold at the shops listed below (bring a cooler for the ride home). You aren’t limited to vanilla gelato — straciatella (chocolate chip) would work nicely, too. For each sundae, we use two small (2.5-ounce) scoops of gelato, 2 tablespoons of Amarena black cherries with syrup, and 1 tablespoon of chopped toasted almonds. Buon appetito!
Where to buy artisan gelato to take home
Botolino (two locations, botolino.com): $22 for 26 ounces
Eataly (NorthPark Mall, eataly.com): $15.97 for 1 pint
Amorino Gelato (Preston Center Plaza, Dallas, and Legacy West, Plano, amorino.com): $18.40 for a pint; $33.56 for 36 ounces
The Gelato Cone (multiple locations, thegelatocone.com): 9 scoops for $18.99 and 12 scoops for $24.99
Paciugo (multiple locations, paciugo.com)
Palmieri Cafe (Dallas Farmers Market, 920 S. Harwood, palmiericafe.com): $16.24 for 4 servings, and $31.39 for 8 servings.
Afrah Mediterranean Cuisine (318 E. Main St., Richardson, afrah.com): $20 for 8 scoops