Italian desserts

[Jenise]

So you've got 75 people to feed. They've just been fed a Tuscan themed dinner. It's sit-down service, and the dessert has to be something that can be made within 48 hours of the event and look fabulous on a small salad-sized plate. Like a tart. Anyone have any great ideas?

Have you ever ordered those large, premium pears from Harry and David? I ordered a box of six of them before Thanksgiving. Not only are they the best tasting and very juicy, they look great sliced due to their size. I made a pear, cranberry dish for breakfast one morning, that can also be used for dessert. Very pretty, and tasty served with heavy cream.

[Jenise]

Have you ever ordered those large, premium pears from Harry and David? I ordered a box of six of them before Thanksgiving. Not only are they the best tasting and very juicy, they look great sliced due to their size. I made a pear, cranberry dish for breakfast one morning, that can also be used for dessert. Very pretty, and tasty served with heavy cream.

The Riviera pears? Yes, they're great, but fresh pears oxidize quickly and can't be done ahead. 75 servings would be a bear. I think we need something baked.

Hi,

This isn't a tart, and you might find it a little hard to organize molds for, but how about a plain vanilla panacotta turned out in the middle of the plate with a fruit coulis served round it. A sprig of mint or redcurrant and it would look a million dollars. The cream is easy to make, and everything can be done in advance, BUT you would need a mold for each guest.

I've been looking in "The Silver Spoon" which is just about the Italian equivalent of "Good Housekeeping", and while there are quite a few tarts, they are mainly borrowed from other cuisines.

Personally, I'd not serve on a plate but in a pudding bowl and I'd do the classic oranges with caramel, accompanied by brandysnaps. Simple (even if you would have to pare the peel of 150 oranges) and very good, so long as the caramel is well made.

I wrote the following (vanilla) panna cotta with a suitably tangy sauce (e.g. raspberry coulis) and then I noticed that in between clicking on reply and writing those words, Ian H had come in with nigh on the same suggestion, plus more!

I'll read his reply in full before I suggest anything else!

regards

Ian

How about making 5 large Tiramisu's (in large glass baking dishes). Each would serve 15.

OK, taking inspiration from Ian H's reference to the silver spoon (I likewise have the book and agree it's in many places more outward looking than the Italian cooking 'bible' one might expect).

I have a copy of Fred Plotkin's 'Italy for the gourmet traveller' which whilst only having a limited number of local recipes, lists the food you might expect at the front. However one recipe it does have, is 'Moro in Camicia' (Moor in shirt!) a chocolate mousse, topped with fresh peach sauce. For the mousse it includes butter, chopped & toasted almonds, bittersweet chocolate, eggs and sugar. For the sauce Peaches, sugar and lemon juice. I'm happy to try and scan the recipe to PM to you.

Plotkin's comments are that, apart from the people of Siena, the Tuscan's tend to opt for fruit, dry biscuits and dessert wine for pudding. However he does mention i bolli from Livorno (and Jewish roots) using leavened dough, orange flower water, eggs, suggar and anise. Also Monte Sinai with almonds, conserva di rose (rose preserve). Panforte is the classic dessert of Siena and perhaps is an ideal candidate being widely recognised as being 'of Tuscany'. It also should be easier to pre-prepare and hence less stressful.

regards

Ian

I once had an Italian casata cake that was quite festive. However, when I did a Google search, I found several recipes, but none like the one I had. IIRC, it was pound cake, sliced into 8 layers and between each layer was a different fruit filling. The fillings were chosen for color and arranged in the order of a rainbow. I think they were cherry, strawberry, orange, banana, lime(?), blueberry and blackberry. I believe it had some sort of ricotta cheese icing.

Liqueur-macerated peppered strawberries over ice cream or frozen yogurt or some such thing. Delish, if you can find the berries.

Poached peaches with raspberry puree and whipped cream and candied violets.

[Jenise]

Hi,

This isn't a tart, and you might find it a little hard to organize molds for, but how about a plain vanilla panacotta turned out in the middle of the plate with a fruit coulis served round it. A sprig of mint or redcurrant and it would look a million dollars. The cream is easy to make, and everything can be done in advance, BUT you would need a mold for each guest.

I've been looking in "The Silver Spoon" which is just about the Italian equivalent of "Good Housekeeping", and while there are quite a few tarts, they are mainly borrowed from other cuisines.

Personally, I'd not serve on a plate but in a pudding bowl and I'd do the classic oranges with caramel, accompanied by brandysnaps. Simple (even if you would have to pare the peel of 150 oranges) and very good, so long as the caramel is well made.

Wow, I haven't had enough coffee yet. I read "redcurrant" as "deodorant". Sure changes the mental imagery for someone who thinks in pictures, as I do.

I sure love the idea but molds would be a serious issue--can't afford to buy anything that isn't edible or disposable. And refrigeration's a problem too--there's just one standard refrigerator in the clubhouse, and it will be pretty full (I'm the executive chef for this event, and we'll be doing five courses including three passed appetizers).

[Jenise]

Liqueur-macerated peppered strawberries over ice cream or frozen yogurt or some such thing. Delish, if you can find the berries.

Poached peaches with raspberry puree and whipped cream and candied violets.

Strawberries and peaches would both be problematic at this time of year, no?

[Jenise]

I once had an Italian casata cake that was quite festive. However, when I did a Google search, I found several recipes, but none like the one I had. IIRC, it was pound cake, sliced into 8 layers and between each layer was a different fruit filling. The fillings were chosen for color and arranged in the order of a rainbow. I think they were cherry, strawberry, orange, banana, lime(?), blueberry and blackberry. I believe it had some sort of ricotta cheese icing.

That sounds quite beautiful! You remind me of a pound cake kind of thing I had once that was billed as Italian--a pound cake cut into many layers, but all had raspberry and cheese fillings. It was covered in chocolate--very pretty on the plate.

[Jenise]

How about making 5 large Tiramisu's (in large glass baking dishes). Each would serve 15.

Tom, that's a great idea. I had earlier considered tiramisu but dismissed it as too commonplace--I probably wasn't being open minded enough, it sounds like a much better idea this morning. Basically, who wouldn't love it? I could give up a shelf in the one standard household fridge I'll have available, and they shouldn't require much more space than that.

I agree that tiramisu is the way to go. Do something fun with it. I recall one portion, served to me in Boston's North End, that had sambuca mixed with the sprinkled espresso. Fascinating variant.

[Jenise]

OK, taking inspiration from Ian H's reference to the silver spoon (I likewise have the book and agree it's in many places more outward looking than the Italian cooking 'bible' one might expect).

I too own it, and was disappointed in this aspect of it. It dilutes what is otherwise good about the book, at least from a foreigner's perspective.

Fred! I don't have that book but you reminded me that I have his La Terra Fortunata and had not yet consulted it. So I just did, and nothing jumps out at me. Love the mousse idea especially with the peach sauce, but again, how to serve it. I have white plates for the dessert service. I am renting some dishware, but with a budget of just $3,000 for everything, including wine, I'm better off suiting the dessert to what we have.

Plotkin's comments are that, apart from the people of Siena, the Tuscan's tend to opt for fruit, dry biscuits and dessert wine for pudding. However he does mention i bolli from Livorno (and Jewish roots) using leavened dough, orange flower water, eggs, suggar and anise. Also Monte Sinai with almonds, conserva di rose (rose preserve). Panforte is the classic dessert of Siena and perhaps is an ideal candidate being widely recognised as being 'of Tuscany'. It also should be easier to pre-prepare and hence less stressful.

I'll have two bakers on my staff to make the desserts. I'll have all three ovens in the clubhouse tied up so they'll have to be able to make whatever they do at home and transport whatever they do without damage, and then of course there's service at the end of a long meal without professional servers--my helpers will all have been partying along with everyone else. I should have mentioned all this earlier so y'all have an accurate idea of what my limitations truly are.

Your comments about simplicity does give me some pause, though: might not be a terrible idea to consider a trio of cookies. Like an almond cantucci, something chocolate and a lemon- or orange-polenta shortbread.

[Jenise]

I agree that tiramisu is the way to go. Do something fun with it. I recall one portion, served to me in Boston's North End, that had sambuca mixed with the sprinkled espresso. Fascinating variant.

Yum! What about a variant that includes something orange-flavored? I'm mad about chocolate-orange combination myself, and the citrus element would be very Tuscan.

Here is a website that has some good ideas. We went to a family reunion a few years back and my sister-in-law served Italian cookies along with an Italian Ice made out of wine. It was refreshing and delicious.

[urlhttp://www.angelobrocatoicecream.com/faq.shtm][/url]

I agree that tiramisu is the way to go. Do something fun with it. I recall one portion, served to me in Boston's North End, that had sambuca mixed with the sprinkled espresso. Fascinating variant.

Yum! What about a variant that includes something orange-flavored? I'm mad about chocolate-orange combination myself, and the citrus element would be very Tuscan.

I could see bitter orange; not sweet.

[Jenise]

I agree that tiramisu is the way to go. Do something fun with it. I recall one portion, served to me in Boston's North End, that had sambuca mixed with the sprinkled espresso. Fascinating variant.

Yum! What about a variant that includes something orange-flavored? I'm mad about chocolate-orange combination myself, and the citrus element would be very Tuscan.

I could see bitter orange; not sweet.

Maybe candied peel as a garnish?

Liqueur-macerated peppered strawberries over ice cream or frozen yogurt or some such thing. Delish, if you can find the berries.

Poached peaches with raspberry puree and whipped cream and candied violets.

Strawberries and peaches would both be problematic at this time of year, no?

I thought you were talking theoretically. Good canned peach halves are already "poached," though.

I could see bitter orange; not sweet.

Maybe candied peel as a garnish?

Shredded, maybe. Might be too 'moderno'. Toasted hazelnuts?

I agree that tiramisu is the way to go. Do something fun with it. I recall one portion, served to me in Boston's North End, that had sambuca mixed with the sprinkled espresso. Fascinating variant.

Yum! What about a variant that includes something orange-flavored? I'm mad about chocolate-orange combination myself, and the citrus element would be very Tuscan.

Jenise, of course Tirimisu was my first thought also. I've made this one before (Giada's) and it was quite nice. Also a little orange flavor for you, as well. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Strawberry-Tiramisu-234447

Would you consider cannoli with some type of either chocolate or fruit sauce drizzled on top?

As a total creamoholic my first thought was Tiramisú too, but rejected it for several reasons. 1 it's not really a cake, 2 I'm unconvinced that it would go on a plate and look good, and 3 it's not at its best when made well in advance IMO.

As for the Silver Spoon. I share the general opinion that it's not really as exciting as I had been led to think it would be. That said, most modern "housewife's" cookbooks are a hotch potch of recipes from all over the world, so I don't think it's altogether fair to criticize that aspect of its contents. However - that's off topic here. Sorry.

Jenise, can you get small edible chocolate containers? If so, then there's all sorts of things that could be served in them, some of which are even italian. But - I can't remember who said it - I must agree with the comments that some fruit and an amaretto (or similar) is much more authentically the sort of thing one would expect to get served. If you CAN get an edible container then Tiramisú would be a delight. I'm a traditionalist, which I know you're not and would play on coffee and chocolate with maybe a bitter almond touch to the liqueur. But that said....bitter orange - even Seville orange marmalade could be a fascinating flavouring and it goes brilliantly with chocolate.