Sweet Sunday

Ice Cream Truffles

These adorable sweets are festive, fun — and so easy to make. Just be sure to freeze the scoops of ice cream overnight before dipping and coating them.


INGREDIENTS
1/2 pint (about) vanilla ice cream
1/2 pint (about) coffee ice cream
1/2 pint (about) chocolate ice cream
20 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups sliced almonds, toasted
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut (about 5 ounces), lightly toasted
1 1/2 cups shelled natural pistachios, chopped


PREPARATION
Line large rimmed baking sheet with waxed paper. Using 1 1/2-inch round ice cream scoop or round 1 tablespoon measuring spoon and working quickly, scoop out 8 round balls each of vanilla, coffee, and chocolate ice cream, placing ice cream on prepared baking sheet. Freeze ice cream overnight.

Combine chopped chocolate and vegetable oil in large metal bowl. Place bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water; stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Cool chocolate until barely lukewarm.

Place almonds, coconut, and pistachios in 3 separate medium bowls. Line 3 pie dishes or plates with waxed paper. Working with 1 vanilla ice cream ball at a time and working quickly, drop into lukewarm melted chocolate. Using fork, turn to coat and lift out chocolate-coated ball. Drop ball off fork into bowl with almonds, using hands to turn to coat. Place truffle in 1 prepared pie dish. Repeat with remaining vanilla ice cream balls, melted chocolate, and almonds; place in freezer. Repeat same procedure, dropping coffee ice cream balls into melted chocolate, then coconut, and dropping chocolate ice cream balls into melted chocolate, then pistachios. Freeze all ice cream truffles until firm, about 2 hours, then cover and keep frozen. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep frozen.)

Place 1 almond-coated ice cream truffle, 1 coconut-coated truffle, and 1 pistachio-coated truffle on each of 8 plates and serve. Makes 24.