Dark Chocolate Surprise sounds like the name of a racehorse but it’s actually the name of another champ. It’s the flavor that just won the first qualifying round of 2018 Gelato Festival America, held in Jersey City earlier this week. Pastry chef Giacomo D’Alessandro of Polosud Gelato, Coffee, Pastries on Mott Street in Manhattan’s Little Italy, created the winning flavor. In a juried completion, it was awarded the title of best artisanal gelato. 

Chef D’Alessandro’s Dark Chocolate Surprise is a dairy-free sorbetto prepared with 80% South American dark chocolate and 20% water. According to the chef, dark chocolate sorbet is one of the most difficult gelatos to prepare because it requires a perfect balance of ingredients or runs the risk of being too bitter.