The Classic Italian Dessert Collection

Southern Entertaining

The Technique

The Classic Italian Dessert Collection

When entertaining is in order, be certain your menus are filled with a selection of crowd-pleasing Italian favorites from Simple Antipasto & an Italian-Style Green Salad with Buttermilk Parmesan-Peppercorn Dressing to entrees that include Chicken Marsala & Chicken Parmesan for meals that are lovely & effortless to pull off. Choose a collection of traditional desserts such as Miniature Classic Cannoli & Classic Tiramisu that may be prepared in advance & you’ll truly have party logistics manageable. Learn how to make your next party truly memorable with these irresistible sweets.

FROM THE KITCHEN OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
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How To Entertain With The Classic Italian Dessert Collection

Irresistible classic Italian desserts offer such comfort & joy when entertaining friends & the good news is that they are appropriate to serve for a variety of celebrations. Miniature Classic Cannoli shells may be fried ahead & piped with the ricotta based filling just before serving while Classic Tiramisu may be layered in advance & sliced into smaller portions. Accompany them with a cup of your favorite Italian coffee & you have a lovely sweet ending everyone will love. Keep the table simple with a stack of white plates, polished heirloom silver & freshly pressed linens for a simple yet beautiful presentation.

Miniature Classic Cannoli
makes 2 dozen

1 cup all purpose flour
1 Tbsp cold, salted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 egg, separated
4 Tbsp chilled white wine
Vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1/2 tsp orange zest
1/2 cup heavy cream
Powdered sugar

Combine the flour, the butter & the egg yolk in a food processor & pulse several times on Low speed until crumbly & evenly blended. Pour the wine through the top of the machine while running until the dough comes together in a mass. Stop the food processor & transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Press the dough into a disc using lightly floured hands then wrap in plastic. Chill 20 minutes. Roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut 2-inch circles from the dough. Place on a lightly floured half sheet pan & cover with plastic. Wrap the dough scraps in plastic & chill 10 minutes then reroll them & repeat the process until all of it has been cut.

Pour the oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches in a Dutch oven & heat to 370 degrees. Roll each piece of dough into an oval that measures approximately 3 1/4-inches. Wrap two of the circles around a standard cannoli form & secure the ends with the egg white using a small pastry brush. Once the four molds have been filled, fry them one at a time, 1 to 2 minutes, turning as necessary with tongs until golden brown. Place on a paper towel-lined wire rack. Repeat with the remaining dough wrapped forms. Allow the metal to cool a few minutes, remove the shells & repeat the process.

Combine the ricotta cheese, the powdered sugar, the vanilla bean paste & the lemon zest in a small bowl. Beat the cream with an electric mixer to soft peaks. Fold the cream into the ricotta mixture & fill a piping bag. Portion into the shells just before serving. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Classic Tiramisu
makes 8 servings

3 eggs, separated
5 Tbsp sugar, divided
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 {8-oz} container mascarpone cheese, softened
4 dozen {3-inch} Savoiardi
1 cup espresso, cooled
1/4 cup brandy
1 cup bittersweet chocolate morsels

Beat the egg whites using the whip attachment in an electric stand mixer on Medium-High speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add in 3 tablespoons of sugar & beat until stiff peaks form. Beat the egg yolks, the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar & the vanilla bean paste with a hand mixer until the sugar dissolves & the mixture holds ribbons. The color should change from a deep yellow to a pale, creamy yellow. Fold in the mascarpone cheese then fold in the beaten egg whites until light & airy.

Stir together the espresso & the brandy. Pour 3/4 cup of the mixture into a 7 x 11-inch baking dish. Organize half of the Savoiardi over the espresso. Next, top with half of the cream mixture spreading in an even layer. Dip each of the remaining Savoiardi in the remaining espresso mixture then organize them over the cream in the dish. Top with the remaining cream. Pulse the chocolate in a food processor several times until finely ground then sprinkle over the top. Cover the dish with plastic wrap. Chill 8 to 24 hours. Slice into rectangles.

The Tune
“In The Mood” The Andrews Sisters

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Rebecca Gordon

Be sweet.