This panettone filled with mascarpone cream is an extraordinarily rich Christmas dessert, and though it will take a bit of effort is well worth it.
Prep Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- A panettone weighing 1 2/3 pounds (750 g)
- 1 pound (500 g) fresh mascarpone cheese (cream cheese thinned slightly with heavy cream
- will work as a substitute; beat the mixture until it is smooth and creamy)
- The grated zest of 2 organically grown oranges
- 1 cup (250 ml) lightly sweetened not-overly-concentrated espresso coffee (you could use strong drip coffee if need be)
- 4/5 cup (80 g) powdered sugar
- 2 ounces (50 g) chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons orange liqueur
- White chocolate (a couple of ounces, about 50 g)
- Maraschino cherries
Preparation:
Carefully slice off the bottom 3/4 inch (1.5 cm) of the panettone and the rounded top, without breaking either, and set both aside. Take the middle cylinder and hollow it out by making a circular cut with a thin-bladed knife; you will obtain a solid cylinder of panettone and a hollow cylinder of crust. Replace the crust on the base, lining them up carefully, and then slice the solid cylinder horizontally into 4 equal layers.
Beat the mascarpone with the sugar, grated orange peel, and liqueur until the mixture is creamy. Put a layer of the cream across the bottom of the cake, sprinkle it with chocolate chips, and follow it with a layer of cake; sprinkle the cake layer with coffee, spread cream and chocolate chips over it, and repeat the process, ending with a layer of cream. Replace the top of the panettone, wrap the cake in plastic wrap, and chill it for at least 4 hours in the fridge.
Come serving time, decorate the cake by shredding white chocolate over it, garnish it with slices of orange and the maraschino cherries, and serve.
Yield: 8 servings Panettone Filled with Mascarpone Cream.
Beat the mascarpone with the sugar, grated orange peel, and liqueur until the mixture is creamy. Put a layer of the cream across the bottom of the cake, sprinkle it with chocolate chips, and follow it with a layer of cake; sprinkle the cake layer with coffee, spread cream and chocolate chips over it, and repeat the process, ending with a layer of cream. Replace the top of the panettone, wrap the cake in plastic wrap, and chill it for at least 4 hours in the fridge.
Come serving time, decorate the cake by shredding white chocolate over it, garnish it with slices of orange and the maraschino cherries, and serve.
Yield: 8 servings Panettone Filled with Mascarpone Cream.