Signora Benucci came onstage then to take her bow, and we dancers applauded her, while Will handed her a huge bouquet of flowers. Then the curtain came down again, and we could hear the audience members rustling around as they stood up.
Some of the dancers lingered onstage, already chatting excitedly about the cast party. Family and friends from the audience flooded the stage, offering flowers and congratulations. Violet was in her element, accepting compliments for her role as the fairy godmother. I had already told my mom and Lanz that I’d meet all of them outside after I’d changed out of my costume.
As I headed into the wings, though, there was Lanz, waiting for me. He held out an enormous bouquet of pink roses that matched the color of my final costume—the glorious sequined pink tutu. I blushed and accepted the flowers.
“Thank you,” I said, over the sound of my thundering heart.
He quickly kissed my cheek. “Your other gift is in the freezer backstage.”
“Let me guess. Ice cream?”
“Of course not!” He winked. “Gelato. A brand-new recipe, named after you. Cinderella Stracciatella.”
I laughed. “I love it already.”
He grinned. “You were amazing. Are amazing.”
A parade of mice dancers scurried by, de-whiskering and removing tails as they went.
“It looks like the fairy-tale spell is ending,” Lanz said, watching them go.
“Not for me.” I reached for his hand. “Thank you, Lanz. For everything. For telling me not to give up. For being the voice in my head that kept prodding me to stick with it.”
“That voice was annoying, yes?”
“Very.” We both laughed. “But also witty and likable.”
“Irresistible?” He raised a hopeful eyebrow.
“I’ll keep you posted.”
He laughed again. “My sense of humor is rubbing off on you.”
I shrugged. “I’m trying. But I can’t compete.”
“That is good. I can be the clown, and you can be the swan. Today, the Marina Springs Conservatory. Tomorrow, a professional ballet company.”
“We’ll see. I have a lot of things I want to accomplish. But I don’t have to do it all today, or in a year, or even two years. For now, I’ll take tonight.”
He cocked his head at me. “That’s enough?”
“More than enough.” And I meant it with all my heart.
“One moment,” Lanz said. He took my hand and led me down the hall toward the prop room, where there was a small fridge and freezer. Lanz opened the freezer and reached inside. “Your reward awaits.” He held out the small pint of gelato and a spoon. “Ready to try?”
“Ready,” I answered. Lanz scooped a curl of gelato onto the spoon, and I opened my mouth.
Yum. The gelato was rich and delicious, creamy and sweet. The perfect mix. Just like we were.
And the kiss that Lanz gave me next, as we stood backstage in our own pas de deux, was even sweeter.
In the mood for a treat to melt your heart? Now you can create your own flavors at home! For all the recipes below, you will need a 4– to 6-quart home ice cream maker (can be found at any department store or online). Just remember to always have adult supervision when you’re using a stove top or handling hot foods.
Here’s the scoop:
You will need:
1 ice cream maker
4 eggs
2 ⅔ cups granulated sugar
2 tbsps cornstarch
½ tsp salt
6 cups whole milk
1 heaping cup semisweet melted chocolate chips
1 ⅓ cups half-and-half
2 cups heavy cream
2 tsps vanilla extract
Approximately 5 pounds of ice
Ice cream salt or rock salt
Before you start mixing ingredients, get your ice cream maker ready by removing the canister from the maker and chilling it in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours. Next, beat 4 eggs in a large mixing bowl. Then, in a large cooking pot, mix the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together. Slowly stir in the milk. Cook over medium heat just until tiny bubbles form around the edge of the pot. This is called “scalding.” Stir constantly, being careful not to let the mixture come to a boil. Once tiny bubbles form in the milk mixture and it’s steaming, carefully dip a measuring cup into the pot and fill it about 1 to 2 cups full with the hot liquid (an adult should help you with this step!). Very slowly pour the liquid from the measuring cup into the beaten eggs. If you pour too quickly, the eggs will overheat and curdle. Be patient. Only a trickle at a time! Stir the eggs constantly as you add the liquid. Next, slowly add the egg mixture back into the remaining hot liquid in the pot. Again, keep stirring so the eggs don’t curdle! This can be a challenge on the first try, but don’t give up! Now, continue cooking and stirring the liquid in the pot on medium-low heat for several minutes until the liquid steams and starts to thicken. Do not let it boil! While the liquid continues to heat, have a parent or helper melt the cup of chocolate chips in a microwave-safe container in the microwave. Microwave 15 to 20 seconds at a time, stirring in between, for about 2 minutes total. Stir chips until smooth and creamy.
Once your pot of thickened liquid is ready, remove it from the heat and stir in the melted chocolate. Whisk the chocolate and liquid together until it’s smooth and blended. It should look a little like hot chocolate, but thicker! Next, add the half-and-half, heavy cream, and vanilla. Then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or even overnight).
Once the mixture is completely chilled, follow the instructions on your ice cream maker to make your ice cream. A parent’s or caregiver’s help may be needed to place your ice cream canister in your maker
