Learn to master the art of making a delicious Italian Cream Pie. Also known as ‘continental cake’, it is a very traditional cake used by many Italian families. Not only is it one of the most delicious cakes you’ll ever taste, but it’s so simple, versatile, and inexpensive to make. Just follow the recipe below and remember that the key to cooking is accuracy and precision. The end result will be perfection.
Cake:
Ingredients:
5 eggs, room temperature
250 g castor sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
100 g of cornmeal
100 g of common flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
75ml cold water
Method:
1) Grease a 24 cm springform pan and line with greaseproof baking paper. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius.
2) Separate the eggs in a bowl. Beat the egg whites until stiff with 75 ml of cold water. Beat together the castor sugar and vanilla sugar very quickly, do not over beat. (If you don’t have vanilla sugar, you can simply replace it with powdered sugar.) Add the beaten egg yolks and beat until the mixture forms a figure “8”.
3) Sift the cornmeal, regular flour, and baking powder 3 times. Gently fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture being careful not to push out any air.
4) Gently spread the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 50 minutes until golden brown or a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Turn onto a wire rack to cool.
Lemon pastry cream:
Ingredients:
500 ml of whole milk
75 g castor sugar
1 vanilla pod
1/4 cup marsala
3 egg yolks
40 g of cornmeal
strips of rind from 1 lemon (use a potato peeler)
Chocolate pastry cream:
Ingredients:
500 ml of whole milk
75 g castor sugar
1 vanilla pod
1/4 cup marsala
3 egg yolks
40 g of cornmeal
3-4 tablespoons of good quality cocoa powder
Method:
1) Split the vanilla pod vertically in half and scrape out the seeds. Put the milk with half the sugar, the seeds and the vanilla pod, the marsala and the lemon zest in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
2) Meanwhile, mix together the egg yolks and the remaining sugar. Once incorporated, gradually add the cornmeal until it forms a paste.
3) When the milk has boiled, remove from the heat and pour a little of the milk into the yolk paste, whisking to incorporate. Adding a small amount at the beginning will prevent lumps from forming in the custard. Continue adding slowly until half of the milk is used.
4) Return the rest of the milk to a boil and pour it over the yolk mixture, then pour everything back into the saucepan.
5) Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the cream thickens. (It may look lumpy at first, but don’t panic. Keep stirring over the heat and it will cook through)
6) Once the cream has thickened in a heat resistant container. Quickly remove the lemon zest and vanilla bean, cover with cling film to prevent a skin from forming on top. Make sure the cling film touches the custard so it doesn’t steam or form water droplets. Refrigerate until cold.
7) Once the cream has cooled it will seem too stiff, however start whipping it with an electric mixer and it will come together until silky smooth. The consistency should be thick but not hard. If you find the cream too firm, add about 1 tablespoon of extra milk, or more if needed, until thick and smooth.
To make chocolate custard – Omit the lemon zest. Add the cocoa at the beginning of step three and stir to dissolve. Taste it and adjust it to the chocolate you like. Follow the remaining steps to make the custard as above.
To assemble the cake:
Use about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of liquor like marsala or sherry for each layer. For a non-alcoholic version, use sweetened chilled coffee as a substitute. See note below.
Once the cake has cooled, slice the cake horizontally to make two layers. You should have three sponge disks. Place a sponge disk on a plate and moisten the sponge with the chosen liquor or coffee. Spread the lemon pastry cream over the cake and place the second layer on top. Repeat the process with the liqueur or coffee mixture and spread over the chocolate custard. Top with the third sponge disk and cover with cling film. Refrigerate overnight to set. Storing cake in the refrigerator for a day or two will allow the flavors to improve.
To decorate:
Ingredients:
300 ml heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons of sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla essence
3/4 cup toasted flaked almonds or chopped hazelnuts
grated chocolate
Method:
1) Combine cream, vanilla and sugar in a bowl and beat until smooth.
2) Spread the cream evenly over the sides and top of the cake.
3) Press or drop nuts into the sides of the cake. Pick up the fallen nuts and keep repeating the process eventually you will have a wonderful result. Sprinkle on top with grated chocolate.
Note- Any type of your favorite liqueur like Tia Maria, Frangelico, Amaretto, or Galliano will make a delicious variation on your cake. Even a combination of liquor and coffee is very nice.
Whether it’s a birthday, christening or wedding, this delicious Italian cream cake is wonderful for a celebration. Let your imagination fly with creations and decorative ideas. Experiment with flavor combinations of liqueurs and custard flavors. A variation is to use orange zest instead of lemon zest for custards with a chocolate liqueur, creating a jaffa flavor. The variations and flavor combinations are endless.
It is best served with a hot cup of espresso or a sweet dessert wine. Enjoy!
