A new addition to "Italian Treats" from
Monica in Venice, Italy
This is my favorite Xmas recipe - it is not pretty
Xmassy but it is what we always have for Xmas in our family every year since
the 80s! Monica is a professional food expert: tours, classes and an upcoming book
Tiramisu (Mascarpone cheesecake dessert)
This is
the authentic recipe for Tiramisu, originating from Treviso –
you will notice there is no rum or marsala or
any other sort of liqueur.
But you can vary the recipe as you please, adding
Amaretto or Bailey’s,
or any other liqueur.
Tiramisu –
Mascarpone Cheese dessert
INGREDIENTS FOR 4 PEOPLE:
400 gr. Savoiardi (sponge fingers)
4 eggs, separated
4
spoons of sugar
1 big
pot of strong coffee, preferably espresso
500 gr. Mascarpone cheese
pinch
of salt
cocoa powder
a
square serving dish with high sides
Preparation:
Prepare the coffee and
let it cool down. Separate the yolks from
the whites.
In clean
bowl whisk with an electric whisker or a hand whisk the yolks with the sugar until
light and pale.
Add the mascarpone cheese mix
still using the whisk
In
another clean bowl whisk the whites with a pinch of salt until stiff.
Gently fold
the whites into the mixture of Mascarpone using a metal spoon, do not stir,
just gently fold in.
Now
start to assemble the dessert. Place a couple of spoon full of the Mascarpone cream
on the bottom of your serving dish and spread it well (this will make it easier
to remove the slices of Tiramisu when cooled)
Dip very quickly each savoiardo
biscuit in the coffee, but not too long – if you dip it too long it will get
soggy, if you deep it too little it will be too dry.
Place the savoiardi next
to each other, tightly packed and cover all the base of the dessert dish. Now
place half the mixture on top and spread it well.
Cover with another layer of
soaked savoiardi and cover with the remaining cream. cover with cling film.
Place
in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
Just before serving sprinkle with cocoa powder
Enjoy! http://www.cookinvenice.com/cooking-classes/
Monica Cesarato is a
food blogger and culinary guide from Venice, organizing Cicchetti
Food Tours and cooking lessons as Cook In Venice. Her articles have been
published in La Gazzetta Italiana as well as many travel and food
blogs and she recently appeared in the Venice episode of Alex
Polizzi’s Secret Italy. Monica is currently writing a book about Cicchetti
with the historic cook of Osteria La
Vedova, one of the oldest bà caros in Venice
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Olga shared this from Sorrento, Italy
I
Roccocò: an Italian Christmas Treat
Olga Stinga shared a treat her aunt made every year and the history of the Roccoco
""My aunt was used to make them on
the 14th of December (here we celebrate Sant’Agnello, the saint
patron of the village named Sant’Agnello) , 10 days prior to the Christmas Eve."
'These cakes typical of the Neapolitan Christmas tradition (whose origin dates back to 1320, through the work of the nuns of the Convent of the Real Mary Magdalene) take their name from the French word "rocaille", because of their shape and baroque round.
In Caserta and other areas of Campania Region, the Roccocò have an S shape, with a curl at each end that recalls the typical decorations of Rococo style. In Sorrento, instead, we make them with the shape of donuts crushed the average size of 10 cm.
I share the recipe for My Aunt Melina, my favorite aunt, who instilled me with the passion for cakes.'
The preparation of Roccocò is not difficult: they have a base of almonds, flour, sugar and Pisto, that 'their smell and the color characteristic. The Pisto is a mix of spices, made up of cinnamon, cloves, coriander, star anise and nutmeg, which serves to help the soaring Roccocò. It can be found in pharmacies, shops for sweets and, in Naples, even in supermarkets.
Ingredients: 500 g flour
500 g sugar
300 g almonds
2 gr Ammonia cake
12 grams of Pisto (spice)
150 g of water
50 gr Candied
1orange peel
1 lemon peel
1 egg for brushing (the tops)
How to prepare Roccocò
Mix sugar, the peel of 1 lemon and the peel of 1 orange
Add all the ingredients, except the egg (because it only serves the purpose for brushing) and mix them with the mixer
Add the almonds and, if necessary, a little water and candied fruit.
Cut the dough and put them on the table.
With the knife divide the dough into pieces and form the Roccocò shaped donut.
Brush the Roccocò with the egg, put them on a baking sheet and bake 180 ° 20-30 min.
My tips
If you can not find the Pisto, you can prepare a dose blending together 12 cloves, chopped half a nutmeg, grated rind of 1 orange and 1 lemon, half a stick of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder.
Typically Roccocò are eaten quite hard, in fact, make a typical noise "scrocchiarello" when you bite into. For those who prefer softer, just cook them a few minutes less.
Finally, I suggest you try these cookies by spraying in Champagne, in Chocolate Liqueur, in the Cream of Limoncello, in Marsala or liquor you prefer;-)
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Isabell Salesny, co owner of Casa Italy in Rome contributes:
For a busy Christmas with never-ending to do lists, here
is a delicious treat that does not need to be baked
Rumkugeln (Rum balls)
Ingredients:
2 egg whites
1 cup icing sugar
grated dark chocolate
rum
Mix egg whites, icing sugar and grated chocolate. If you
wish, add rum. Keep the "dough" in the fridge for 1h. Make tiny
balls.
Wrap a few balls in sparkling Christmas wrapping paper
for a marvelous Christmas feeling.
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Ricciarelli (Sienese Almond Cookies)
2 cups blanched ground almonds
2 large egg whites
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups powdered sugar
3 drops almond extract
Extra powdered sugar for rolling in
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepared almond "flour" or "meal" is available online from Bob's Red Mill and Whole Food Market. If you grind your own almonds, I recommend a Swiss nut grinder, and there is one by Zylos that's fabulous.
Combine the almond "flour" with the baking powder, powdered sugar, and flour. Beat the egg whites until stiff and mix into the almond mixture. Add the almond extract and blend until you have a soft paste.
Place some powdered sugar on a clean, dry surface. Form one tablespoon of dough into a small ball, roll in the sugar, and then form the traditional diamond shape, flattening the cookie with the palm of your hand.
Place the cookies on a baking sheet covered with baking paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden.
Ricciarelli are fabulous with tiny cubes of candied orange peel rolled into them and then dipped in chocolate.
Makes about 16 cookies.
Recipe for Ricciarelli found on the Divina Cucina blog.
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