← Nouns Cooking · Italian

Ingredients

• 750 ml whole milk
• 6 egg yolks
• 150 g Sugar
• 60 g cornflour (or plain flour)
• 1 strip of lemon peel
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 60 g dark chocolate, chopped
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 250 g savoiardi (sponge fingers)
• 150 ml Alchermes liqueur (or cherry brandy), mixed with 100 ml water

Method

1. Heat the milk with the lemon peel until steaming. Whisk the yolks with the sugar until pale, then whisk in the cornflour.
2. Pour the hot milk onto the yolks, whisking, discard the peel and return everything to the pan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, for 4–5 min until thick and bubbling. Stir in the vanilla.
3. Pour half the custard into another bowl and stir in the chopped chocolate and cocoa until smooth. Cover both custards with cling film touching the surface and cool.
4. Quickly dip a layer of sponge fingers in the diluted alchermes (just a second each, they should not go soggy) and line a glass dish with them.
5. Spread over half the plain custard, then another layer of soaked biscuits, then the chocolate custard, more biscuits and finally the rest of the plain custard.
6. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, before serving dusted with cocoa.

Tips

• Alchermes contains alcohol and is coloured with natural cochineal (not vegetarian for some); diluted cherry syrup or rum is an easy swap.
• Contains eggs, gluten and dairy.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Memorie di Angelina Pasta Grammar