The suffix ini is a diminutive, and indeed these are individual portions of zuccotto; you'll need 4 high, smooth--sided molds with an internal diameter of about 3 inches (7 cm). If you want, you could also make a larger zuccotto alla fiorentina, using a hemispherical mold 7 inches (18 cm) in diameter. To serve 4:
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- ** For the Cake and Filling **
- 4 molds, or 1 as you prefer
- A small commercially prepared Genoise, pan di spagna, or pound cake
- 1 pint (500 ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (50 g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 pound (225) baking chocolate
- 1/4 cup (about 30 g) candied cherries
- ** For the Syrup **
- 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
- 1 tablespoon rum
- ** For the Sauce **
- 1 cup (250 ml) milk
- 3 yolks
- 1/2 cup stemmed blueberries, rinsed and patted dry
- A vanilla bean, or a teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 3/8 cup (75 g) sugar
- ** For Decoration **
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 4 perfectly beautiful candied cherries, halved or quartered
- A piece of candied citron, sliced
- 1/4 pound (100 g) stemmed blueberries, washed and patted dry
Preparation:
Cut the pound cake into slightly thinner than a half inch thick slices (about 1 cm), and also cut 8 half-inch thick disks the diameter of the molds (or two if you're making just one zuccotto).
Put 4 disks in the bottom of the molds and use the half-inch slices to line the sides of the molds.
Dice the candied cherries and shave an ounce (30 g) of the chocolate, and set them aside.
Whip 3/5 of a cup (150 ml) of the cream to soft peaks in a clean bowl. Melt the remaining chocolate over a double boiler, stirring constantly, and when it has melted incorporate the cream.
Take a second bowl and whip the remaining cream with the powdered sugar folding the chopped candied cherries and the chocolate shavings carefully to keep from collapsing the cream. Spoon the mixture into the molds, using a spatula to make even layers.
Finish filling the molds with the chocolate cream, and cover them with the remaining disks of cake. Chill the zuccotti (or zuccotto) in the fridge for 4 hours.
Before serving the zuccotti you will need to make the sauce. Bring the milk to a boil with the vanilla bean (if you are using extract simply heat the two when the fruit is ready). In the meantime, whir the blueberries in a blender and combine them with the yolks and the sugar, mixing well. Remove the vanilla bean if you're using it and add the hot milk in a thin stream, stirring briskly. Pour the mixture into a saucepot and bring it almost to a boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce veils the back of the spoon. Remove the sauce from the fire, strain it through a wire mesh strainer and into a bowl,and let it cool.
Next, see to the syrup: Heat 1/5 cup of water in a small saucepot, add the sugar, mix, and bring the syrup to a boil, by which time the sugar will have melted. Boil the syrup for 1 minute, let it cool, and stir in the rum.
Come time to serve the zuccotto dip the mold (or molds) in hot water, cover it with a serving plate, and flip it; the zuccotto will come to rest on the plate. Brush the zuccotto with the syrup (lightly, you don't want to soak the cake), dust it with powdered sugar, and decorate it with the candied cherries and citron. Spoon the sauce around the base of the zuccotto or zuccotti, sprinkle the blueberries around the base of the cake (or cakes), and serve at once.
Note: If you're making one larger zuccotto, you may want to save some of the sauce and blueberries to spoon around the slices as you serve them.
Put 4 disks in the bottom of the molds and use the half-inch slices to line the sides of the molds.
Dice the candied cherries and shave an ounce (30 g) of the chocolate, and set them aside.
Whip 3/5 of a cup (150 ml) of the cream to soft peaks in a clean bowl. Melt the remaining chocolate over a double boiler, stirring constantly, and when it has melted incorporate the cream.
Take a second bowl and whip the remaining cream with the powdered sugar folding the chopped candied cherries and the chocolate shavings carefully to keep from collapsing the cream. Spoon the mixture into the molds, using a spatula to make even layers.
Finish filling the molds with the chocolate cream, and cover them with the remaining disks of cake. Chill the zuccotti (or zuccotto) in the fridge for 4 hours.
Before serving the zuccotti you will need to make the sauce. Bring the milk to a boil with the vanilla bean (if you are using extract simply heat the two when the fruit is ready). In the meantime, whir the blueberries in a blender and combine them with the yolks and the sugar, mixing well. Remove the vanilla bean if you're using it and add the hot milk in a thin stream, stirring briskly. Pour the mixture into a saucepot and bring it almost to a boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce veils the back of the spoon. Remove the sauce from the fire, strain it through a wire mesh strainer and into a bowl,and let it cool.
Next, see to the syrup: Heat 1/5 cup of water in a small saucepot, add the sugar, mix, and bring the syrup to a boil, by which time the sugar will have melted. Boil the syrup for 1 minute, let it cool, and stir in the rum.
Come time to serve the zuccotto dip the mold (or molds) in hot water, cover it with a serving plate, and flip it; the zuccotto will come to rest on the plate. Brush the zuccotto with the syrup (lightly, you don't want to soak the cake), dust it with powdered sugar, and decorate it with the candied cherries and citron. Spoon the sauce around the base of the zuccotto or zuccotti, sprinkle the blueberries around the base of the cake (or cakes), and serve at once.
Note: If you're making one larger zuccotto, you may want to save some of the sauce and blueberries to spoon around the slices as you serve them.
