Zuccotto

Finally I made one of the desserts my mom used to make when I was a kid: zuccotto. The reason it took me so long to make was that I was horrified of the shape it has and how I would make it do that shape! Turns out it's not so hard after all as sponge cake is pliable and will retain its form when pressed into a bowl and kept that way for a few hours. This is definitely on my favorite recipes list now!

The recipe I used is the same one my mom used to use. It's from The Great Italian Cookbook by the Italian Academy of Cooking.

Recipe

For sponge cake:

4 eggs, separated

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 c confectioner's sugar

1/3 c all-purpose flour

1/3 c cornstarch

For the filling:

1/2 c blanched almonds

1/2 c shelled filberts (hazelnuts)

scant 4 1/2 c heavy cream

3/4 c confectioner's sugar

1 1/4 c grated semisweet chocolat

2 tbsp cognac

2 tbsp sweet liqueur (I used Grand Marnier--not sure what they use in Italy)

cocoa powder

This is a traditional dessert from Tuscany. To make the sponge, beat the egg yolks, vanilla extract and sugar in a bowl until light and frothy. Whisk the egg whites stiffly and fold carefully into the egg mixture. Gradually add the flour and cornstarch, mixing continuously. Butter and flour a moderately deep cake pan, about 10 in (26 cm) diameter. Spoon in the sponge mixture and bake in a moderate oven (350°F/177°C) for about 40 min until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

To make the filling, toast the almonds and filberts and roughly chop them. Whip the cream in a bowl with the confectioner's sugar and mix in the chopped nuts and grated chocolate.

Cut the sponge horizontally into slices 1/2 inch thick and sprinkle them with the cognac and sweet liqueur, mixed together. Line a semi spherical mold or basin with well-buttered wax paper and then with some of the sponge slices (I left the lining step out--it turned out to be just fine). Fill up to the brim with the whipped cream, level the top with a spatula and cover the dessert with the remaining sponge slices. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Turn out on to a round serving plate and sprinkle with cocoa and confectioner's sugar mixed, or with first one then the other to give alternate brown and white segments.