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A few weeks ago my kids wanted something different for a sweet treat. We had visited a favorite bakery while in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood last summer, and they had vivid memories of canolis and zuppa inglese. After a three to one battle of rochambeau, zuppa inglese it is!
I love this dessert and it really is easy. If you like, purchased lady fingers can be substituted for the sponge cake. I recently saw some lady fingers at our local Trader Joe’s, so perhaps that would be a good choice. I like to serve mine with a top layer of fresh berries for a light flavorful summer delight.
Enjoy!
Zuppa Inglese
1 recipe of your favorite sponge cake
Pastry Creams
4 cups whole milk
1 1/4 cup sugar
12 egg yolks
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup corn starch
1 Tablespoon orange zest
1 Tablespoon vanilla
6 oz chopped chocolate
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Simple Syrup
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
1 cinnamon stick (about 2″)
3 whole cloves
1/2 cup dark rum
Finish
1 cup heavy cream plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
chocolate shavings
fresh fruit
Make pastry cream without any flavoring Whisk sugar, flour, and corn starch in a sauce pan. Add yolks and milk. Whisking constantly over medium high heat until pastry cream thickens. Remove from heat and divide it into 2 separate bowls. Flavor half the cream with orange zest and vanilla, and stir the chopped chocolate and cinnamon into the other bowl of pastry cream. Cover each bowl and refrigerate until cold.
For the simple syrup, bring ingredients to a boil in a small pan. Cool, and remove the spices.
To assemble: Cut the sponge cake into vertical slices about 1/4″ thick. Place a layer on the bottom of a 2 1/2 quart glass bowl. Moisten the cake with the syrup using a pastry brush. Spread half the orange pastry cream. Cover with another layer of cake slices, moisten with chocolate pastry cream. Repeat with the remaining ingredients ending with a layer of cake slices. Imbibe with remaining syrup. Cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight.
To finish whip the cream until it holds its shape. Spread on top. Decorate with chocolate shaving and a little fresh fruit.
Enjoy!
Andrea Charroin was a trained baker and pastry chef in San Francisco before she and her family moved to Redding 11 years ago. After falling in love with Redding’s downtown, Andrea and husband Westley opened a little pastry shop, Rene-Joule Patisserie, across from the Cascade Theatre. For the three years Rene-Joule was in business, it was renowned for making everything from scratch, using the best ingredients and keeping with a seasonal menu. To this day, Andrea is asked about her Marathon Bars, Orange Twists and sourdough bread.
Copyright 2009 Andrea R. Charroin. Visit her blog at bakerslove.typepad.com
