We have had a rather civilised but slightly decadent night tonight with a lovely dinner, beautiful music, candlelight, quiet conversation, gentle laughter and to top it all off a rich, creamy dessert that hails from wonderful Sicily. I can’t share with you the intimate cosiness of the evening, the flicker of the candle flames or the ambience of the music resounding in the air, but I can share with you some of the sweetness left on the palate and the fragrance of the vanilla and the liqueurs that make of this dessert a wicked delight.
ZUCCOTTO
• 700 mL of cream
• 3 tablespoonfuls sugar
• Vanilla essence
• About a dozen Savoiardi biscuits (“sponge fingers”)
• 1/2 cup of chopped glace cherries, candied peel and sultanas
• 1 block of cooking chocolate
• 1/2 cup of ground, roasted almonds
• 1/2 cup of ground, roasted hazelnuts
• 1 measure each of Cointreau, Benedictine and Tia Maria
Soak the fruits in the Benedictine for a few hours. Moisten the biscuits in the Cointreau mixed with a generous amount of cream. Arrange the biscuits in a deep jelly mould (abour 20 cm diameter) to form a biscuit shell around the sides and bottom. Beat the cream, sugar and vanilla to form a stiff Chantilly and divide it into two portions. To one portion add the almonds and the Benedictine-fruits. Mix well and coat the biscuit shell leaving a depression in the middle. Melt the chocolate in a bain-Marie and add it to the reserved Chantilly together with the hazelnuts. Fill the depression in the mould with this mixture. Refrigerate overnight and when ready to serve, turn upside down onto a platter and dust with icing sugar.
Enjoy your weekend!
It sounds as if you had a lovely, romantic evening. As for the dessert, it does look decadent, although maybe a bit too much sugar for me, unless I skip the dinner! I'm glad you had a nice evening. :)
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