Despite its name, Zuppa Inglese is a typical dessert of Romagna: a treat for feast days and special occasions. It is a spoon dessert made of layers of sponge cake (usually ciambella) soaked in liqueurs (traditionally alchermes), alternated with pastry cream.
Zuppa Inglese is also mentioned by Pellegrino Artusi in his work La scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiar bene (1891).
Ingredients and Preparation
- 400 g ciambella (alternatively sponge cake or ladyfingers)
- 1 liter milk
- 8 egg yolks
- 8 tablespoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 tablespoons flour
- zest of 1 lemon
Prepare the pastry cream: mix the egg yolks with the sugar and 2 tablespoons of flour. Gradually add the hot milk infused with the lemon zest. Place everything over heat and boil, stirring continuously, for about 4 minutes. Divide the cream into two parts and add the cocoa powder to one half.
In a dessert dish, arrange a first layer of sponge soaked in alchermes, then cover it with a layer of either the light or dark cream. Continue alternating layers of cake and cream until all ingredients are used. Let cool and serve chilled.
