Italian desserts – My Whisk and I

Sicilian Milk Pudding/Biancomangiare

January 11, 2024January 11, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Yields 4 small portions.

60ml cornstarch
125ml + 375ml milk
125ml sugar
1 lemon
ground cinnamon
crushed biscuit, to serve

Add the cornstarch to a small saucepan.
Pour in the 125ml milk and whisk the mixture until there are no lumps and it is completely smooth.
Now add the sugar and whisk again.
Add the 375ml milk once you are sure there are no lumps.
Cut two or three strips of zest from the lemon and add it to the mixture.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir continuously for 3-4 minutes until it thickens.
Stir and cook the mixture for another 2 minutes after the first bubbles appear.
Turn off the heat and remove the lemon zest.
Wet your moulds under running water and shake out any excess water.
Pour the not milk mixture into the moulds and refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
Unmould the puddings onto serving plates.
Sprinkle a pinch of ground cinnamon on the crushed biscuit and spoon over each pudding to serve.

Uncategorized

Tiramisu

January 1, 2024January 1, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Yields 12 individual or one 18cm x 28cm dessert.

175g lady fingers
400ml strong coffee, cooled
83ml marsala or dessert wine
4 eggs, separated
100g caster sugar
750g mascarpone

Add the egg whites to a bowl, add a pinch of salt and whisk until stiff peaks. Set aside.
Add the sugar to the egg yolks and beat with an electric whisk until dissolved.
Add the mascarpone and incorporate with the whisk until mixed through.
Add the whites to the mixture and fold through.

Assembly:
Pour the coffee and marsala into a flat bowl.
Dip the lady fingers in the coffee mixture and lay them in an even layer in a glass/individual ramekin.
Now scoop some of the mascarpone mixture onto the biscuits and level it out.
Repeat with a layer of soaked lady fingers and mascarpone mixture.
Refrigerate the desserts for 2 hours.
Dust with cocoa powder to serve.

Uncategorized

Cassata

December 2, 2023August 29, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

6 egg whites
62ml + 62ml caster sugar
500ml cream
250ml chopped mixed nuts
125g mixed dried fruit
125g red and green glacé cherries

Line a baking tin with a 1 litre capacity (or a Tupperware container) with plastic wrap or baking paper.
Add the egg whites to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until it forms soft peaks.
Add a teaspoonful of the 62ml caster sugar while whisking. Wait for the sugar to be incorporated (about 30 seconds) before adding the next teaspoonful. Keep going until all of the sugar has been incorporated. Set aside.
Pour the cream into another mixing bowl and add the other 62ml caster sugar all at once.
Beat the cream until it forms stiff peaks.
Spoon about a third of the cream mixture into the egg white mixture and fold through with a large metal spoon.
Add the rest of the cream and fold it in until incorporated.
Sprinkle the chopped nuts, dried fruit and half of the cherries over and fold it in to the mixture.
Arrange the other half of the cherries on the bottom of your prepared container.
Spoon the mixture into the container and lightly level it out.
Place the cassata in the freezer until frozen.
Serve in slices with or without a sauce.

To store leftover, cover the cassata with plastic wrap and place back in the freezer as you would with ice cream.