FROZEN INDIVIDUAL TORTONIES
6 to 8 individual servings
1 cup loosely-packed coarse coconut or almond macaroon or vanilla or chocolate wafer cookie crumbs, or coarsely crushed biscotti or fudge brownies
2 to 3 tablespoons peach or apricot or raspberry or strawberry preserves
¼ teaspoon almond extract
About 1 quart (4 cups) French vanilla or vanilla or other desired flavor ice cream, slightly softened
6 to 8 Maraschino cherries, well drained
1/3 to ½ cup toasted sliced almonds or slivered blanched almonds
Line muffin cups (2 3/4-inches in diameter) with aluminum foil baking cups. In a medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs, preserves, and almond extract, stirring lightly with a fork until crumbs are coated. Press about 1 rounded tablespoonful of crumb mixture into the bottom of each foil baking cup, reserving some crumb mixture for top of each dessert. Spoon one rounded scoop of ice cream into each crumb-lined foil cup. Evenly divide remaining crumb-preserve mixture over top of desserts. Cover each with foil and freeze until serving time. To serve, peel off aluminum foil; arrange each Tortoni dessert on a doily-lined dessert plate. Garnish each with a sprinkle of toasted almonds and a Maraschino cherry.
Variations: Press all of crumb mixture into bottom of baking cups, dividing evenly. Drizzle a small amount of favorite chocolate or fudge sauce over each dessert; top each with a sprinkle of toasted almonds and a Maraschino cherry.
Omit Maraschino cherries; just before serving, top each dessert with a fresh strawberry or raspberry.