Culinary Hotline - Italian Desserts

An Italian affair, one dessert at a time.

Ingredients:

  • 400 ml fresh cream
  • 100 ml full-cream milk
  • 50 g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 5 g powdered gelatine
  • 2 tbsp cold water

Berry coulis:

  • 200 g fresh or frozen mixed berries, plus extra to garnish
  • 2–3 tbsp sugar, to taste
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1–2 tbsp water, if needed

How To Make Vanilla Panna Cotta with Berry Coulis

  1. Sprinkle the gelatine over the cold water and leave for 5–10 minutes to bloom.
  2. Gently heat cream, milk, sugar and vanilla in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is steaming. Do not boil.
  3. Remove from the heat. Add the bloomed gelatine and stir until completely dissolved. Pour into four glasses, cool, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours until set.
  4. For the coulis, simmer the berries, sugar and lemon juice for 5–8 minutes until soft, adding a little water if needed. Blend and strain if desired. Cool completely.
  5. Spoon the cooled coulis over the set panna cotta and garnish with berries.

Ingredients:

  • 250 g mascarpone
  • 2 pasteurised eggs, separated
  • 6 tbsp sugar
  • Savoiardi (ladyfingers), as needed
  • 2–3 shots espresso, cooled
  • Cocoa powder, for dusting
  • Optional: a splash of rum or Marsala in the coffee

How To Make Tiramisu

  1. Whisk the egg yolks with half the sugar until pale, thick and creamy. Add the mascarpone and mix until smooth.
  2. In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites to soft peaks, adding the remaining sugar. Gently fold into the mascarpone mixture.
  3. Quickly dip the savoiardi into the cooled espresso, with rum or Marsala if using. Avoid soaking them.
  4. Layer the cream and biscuits in a serving dish, repeating and finishing with cream. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
  5. Dust generously with cocoa just before serving. Keep refrigerated and use pasteurised eggs because the filling is not cooked.

Ingredients:

  • 1 packet (200 g) Tennis biscuits
  • 1 tin (360 g) caramel treat
  • 500 ml cold fresh cream
  • 2 Peppermint Crisp chocolate bars (about 150 g total), grated or chopped

How To Make Peppermint Crisp Tart

  1. Whip the cold cream to soft peaks. In a separate bowl, stir the caramel until smooth, then gently fold in the whipped cream.
  2. Arrange a layer of Tennis biscuits in a serving dish. Spread over half the caramel cream and sprinkle with some of the chocolate.
  3. Repeat the biscuit and cream layers, finishing with the remaining chocolate.
  4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until the biscuits soften. Serve chilled.