Tartufo is an Italian ice-cream dessert consisting of a dome of gelato covered with a hard chocolate shell.
The name tartufo means “truffle” in Italian, reflecting the dessert’s rounded shape and dark coating. A classic tartufo contains two contrasting gelato flavors, often chocolate and a fruit flavor, with a center that may include cherries, syrup or another filling. It is commonly finished with cocoa powder, chopped nuts or a chocolate coating.
Tartufo is associated particularly with the southern Italian region of Calabria and the town of Pizzo, where tartufo di Pizzo is a celebrated local specialty. It differs from spumoni, which is usually a layered or molded mixture of several ice creams and candied fruit. The defining visual feature of tartufo is its truffle-like chocolate exterior.