Fabulicious!: Teresa's Italian Family Cookbook (29 page)

Makes 8 servings

This is a super-classy, restaurant-style dessert that you can make at home without a pastry chef degree. Even better, you can whip up the cake in two minutes with ingredients you have on hand, and it doesn’t use vegetable oil!

Zabaglione Cream

3 large egg yolks

½ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ cup sweet Marsala wine

1 ½ cups heavy cream

Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup milk (whole or skim)

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups assorted berries, such as raspberries and sliced strawberries

Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish

1.
To make the zabaglione cream: In a medium saucepan, whisk the eggs until they are pale yellow. Gradually whisk in the sugar and whisk until thickened. Whisk in the flour, and then the Marsala. Whisk constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture is thick and is just beginning to bubble, about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer to a medium bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the egg mixture and poke a few holes in the top with a knife. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.

2.
To make the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly butter a 13 × 9-inch rimmed baking sheet or a baking pan. Line the bottom of the baking sheet with waxed paper (the butter will hold the waxed paper in place.)

3.
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt together into a medium mixing bowl. Add the milk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla. Mix with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes (set a timer), occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Spread the batter in the baking sheet.

4.
Bake until the cake springs back when pressed in the center and it is starting to pull away from the sides, about 20 minutes. Transfer the cake in its pan to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely in the pan.

5.
To finish the zabaglione cream: In a chilled medium bowl, whip the heavy cream with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Stir about ¼ of the whipped cream into the bowl of the cooled egg mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

6.
To assemble the cakelets: Using a 3-inch diameter drinking glass with straight sides, or a cookie cutter, cut out 8 rounds from the sheet cake. (Nibble on the scraps, or give them as treats to the kids.) For each serving, spoon about ⅓ cup of the zabaglione cream onto a dessert plate. Lean a chocolate round against the cream, and scatter the fruit around it. Sift the confectioners’ sugar through a wire sieve over each cakelet and serve immediately.

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Z-Cream

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Z
abaglione
, which literally means “egg punch” in Italian, is a creamy dessert made of whipped egg yolks, sugar, and Marsala wine. It’s another dessert-of-a-million-names-and-spellings, including: zabaione, zablaiogne, zabajone, and sabayon.

When in Rome . . .
Zabaglione = zah-bah-YOH-nay

Filomena’s Ti Amo Tiramisù

Makes 8 to 12 servings

I love my mother-in-law. I’ve known her since I was born, and we’ve always gotten along. That doesn’t mean, however, she was gonna give up her secret tiramisù recipe easily. But I showed her all the wonderful letters and requests I got for traditional Italian desserts, and she relented. So here you go . . . for the first time anywhere: Filomena’s Ti Amo Tiramisù: the dessert that loves you back.

1 ½ cups brewed hot dark-roast coffee

3 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided

5 large egg yolks

1 ¼ cups heavy cream, divided

1 (16-ounce) container mascarpone cheese

About 40 Italian savoiardi biscuits (ladyfingers)

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Semisweet chocolate bar, for shavings

1.
In a shallow bowl, combine the coffee, liqueur, and 1 tablespoon of sugar and stir to dissolve the sugar. Let cool.

2.
In the top insert of a double boiler, whisk together the egg yolks, remaining ½ cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the heavy cream. Bring an inch of water in the saucepan of the double boiler to a simmer over medium heat; reduce the heat to medium-low. (You can also make your own double boiler set-up with a stainless steel bowl that fits snugly over a medium saucepan; do not allow the bowl to touch the water.) Place the insert over the simmering water. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula, scraping any splashes of the egg mixture off the sides of the insert, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the spatula (if you run your finger through the mixture it will cut a swath) and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the mixture reads 185°F, about 5 minutes.

3.
Remove the insert from the double boiler. Immediately whisk the mascarpone into the warm egg mixture, and mix until smooth.

4.
In a chilled medium bowl, whip the remaining heavy cream with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the mascarpone mixture and fold together.

5.
One at a time, briefly dip both sides of about 20 of the ladyfinger cookies in the espresso mixture (don’t soak them—it should only take a second or two) and arrange in a single layer in a 13 × 9-inch baking dish. Break the cookies as needed to fit your dish. Spread with half of the mascarpone mixture. Dip and arrange the remaining ladyfingers in another single layer atop the mascarpone mixture, then spread with the remaining mascarpone. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours.

6.
Just before serving, sift the cocoa through a wire sieve over the tiramisù. Using a vegetable peeler, shave chocolate curls from the chocolate bar, letting them fall on top. Cut into squares and serve chilled.

When in Rome . . .
Mascarpone = mass-car-POHN-nay

Joe with his mom and dad. Isn’t he the cutest baby?

Vada Via!

I
t looks so pretty, doesn’t it? “Vada via!” Sort of like “Mama Mia,” right? It does rhyme, but it means something completely different.
Vada via!
means “get out!” or “go away!” I mean that in the nicest possible way, but now it’s time for you to go. My parents are coming over for dinner, Audriana needs a bath, Gia has to write a speech for student council, Gabriella needs to practice her piano, and I’m pretty sure Milania is climbing something somewhere. It’s been an honor sharing my kitchen and my family recipes with you. But go, Baby Doll, and rock your family’s world with your kick-ass culinary skills. I have no doubt everything you make will be
fabulicious!

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