ITALIAN DESSERT RECIPES
Italian Cream Cake
Ingredients:1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups white sugar
5 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flaked coconut
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons light cream
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup flaked coconut
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease three 9"
round cake pans. In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the
buttermilk; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter, shortening and
white sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, buttermilk
mixture, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup coconut, baking powder and flour.
Stir until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared pans.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a
toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Allow to cool.
4. To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese,
1/2 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and confectioners' sugar.
Beat until light and fluffy. Mix in a small amount of cream to
attain the desired consistency. Stir in chopped nuts and
remaining flaked coconut. Spread between layers and on top
and sides of cooled cake.
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 35 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour 35 Minutes
Makes: 1 - 3 layer 9 inch round cake
Rice Tart
For the crust:2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons heavy cream
For the filling:
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
1 pinch salt
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup cooked white rice
1/2 cup raisins, optional
Confectioners' sugar
In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer),
mix the flour and sugar. Add the butter and mix until coarse and
sandy. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and cream together.
Add to the flour mixture and mix at low speed just until combined.
Turn out onto a work surface and form into a ball. Wrap in plastic
wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick, this should be done in small batches
as the dough gets soft fast. With a large round cutter cut out disks and
keep them chilled while you roll and cut the rest of the dough. Line
3-inch diameter by 1 1/4-inches tall metal collars with the disks and
chill. Bake the tart shells blind by lining them with plastic wrap
(that's right!) and fill with raw rice then gather the plastic wrap up
to contain the rice. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes then remove
the rice packets and bake 2 more minutes to crisp them. Meanwhile,
make the filling. Let crusts cool slightly.
To make the filling, in a saucepan, heat the half-and-half, cream, salt,
and vanilla bean over medium heat, stirring occasionally to make sure
the mixture doesn't burn or stick to the bottom of the pan. When the
cream mixture reaches a fast simmer (do not let it boil), turn off the
heat. Set aside to infuse 10 to 15 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together. Whisking
constantly, gradually add the hot cream mixture. Strain into a large
bowl to smooth the mixture and remove the vanilla bean. Add the rice
and raisins and toss well. Spoon filling into baked tart shells. Reset
the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake the tart for 20 to
25 minutes till the custard is set. Let cool then sprinkle with
confectioners' sugar.
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 47 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
Pears w/Chocolate Sauce
Butter, for greasing6 Bosc or other firm pears, peeled
1/4 cup honey
Pinch cinnamon
5 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 eggs
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Using the butter, grease an ovenproof casserole. Cut a slice off
the bottom of each pear to make it stand upright, then place them
in the casserole. Add 1/2 cup water and place the pears in the oven
to soften for 40 minutes, basting 3 to 4 times throughout the process.
Combine the pan juices with the honey and cinnamon in a small bowl and
whisk together until it's the consistency of a light emulsion. Augment
with hot tap water if necessary. Drizzle the pears with this mixture,
return the pears to the oven, and let cook for another 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven and set aside until ready to serve. In the top
part of a double boiler, melt the chocolate, stirring constantly to
avoid scorching. Set aside to cool. Separate the 2 eggs and beat the
yolks into the chocolate, which should be cool but still liquid. Whisk
the chocolate to make sure it is well mixed. Beat the egg whites and
confectioners' sugar together, to form stiff peaks, and then, fold this
mixture into the chocolate mixture. Place 1 pear on each of 6 dessert
plates and top with some of the chocolate mixture. Serve immediately.
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Medium
Chocolate Bread
1 cup blanched almonds6 bitter almonds or 2 tablespoons apricot kernels, or 12 blanched almonds
Sugar, if necessary, plus 3/4 cup sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
5 large eggs
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons water
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the blanched almonds
and bitter almonds or apricot kernels and grind to a fine powder,
adding a little sugar if necessary to keep the nuts from sticking
together. Set aside. Melt 5 tablespoons butter over low heat in a
small saucepan. Remove from heat and let it cool. Grease a 9-inch
cake pan with butter and set aside. In a large bowl, sift together
the flour, cornstarch and nutmeg. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Separate the eggs and place the whites and yolks into separate bowls.
Beat the yolks with a hand mixer and gradually add the ground almonds
and the sugar, beating the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Gradually
add in the flour mixture and cooled butter, beating vigorously between
each addition. In the other bowl, beat the egg whites until they are stiff
and glossy, then fold them into the flour mixture. Pour the whole batter
into the prepared cake pan and bake until the cake is firm and golden,
about 40 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes, then turn out of the pan and
let cool completely. In a double boiler over very low heat, melt the
chocolate, stirring constantly. Add 2 tablespoons water and stir until
the chocolate is smooth and glossy. Once the cake is cool, pour the
melted chocolate on top and spread it with a spatula.
Serve the cake at room temperature.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
Almond Tart
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour1/2 cup ground toasted almonds, plus 2 cups
1/2 cup sugar
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 egg, plus 3 egg whites, plus 1 egg beaten
Salt
1/2 cup apricot jam
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removeable
bottom with butter and set aside. Toss together the flour, 1/2 cup
almonds, and sugar. Cut the butter into the dry mixture until it is
the consistency of fine bread crumbs. Add 1 egg and a pinch of salt
and mix well, kneading slightly. Form the pastry into a ball, wrap
in plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Line the tart pan with the
dough, letting it hang over by 1-inch. Trim the edges, reserving
the scraps and rolling them into a ball. Place the pan in the
refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Roll the reserved dough ball out to 1/8-inch thickness and, using
a pastry cutter with a crimp edge, cut it into several strips that
are 9-inches long and 1/4-inch wide. Set these strips aside in a
cool place. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Line the tart pan with waxed paper and load the inside with beans.
Bake in the oven until the dough has firmed but is still pale about
20 minutes,. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Beat the egg whites until they are thick and glossy. Spread the
apricot jam in an even layer inside the tart crust. Fold the
remaining almonds and the chocolate into the whipped egg whites
and spread this mixture over the apricot jam. Arrange the dough
strips over the top of the tart in a criss-cross fashion, pushing
the ends into the apricot mixture. Brush the top with the beaten
egg and bake 30 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature.
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
Maintained by Lady Lynda