Flavours of the World ~ Italy Part Three

Despite my wonderfully good intentions, I was unable to access the internet this past week to post the third and final part of this series... 

The recipes I am sharing with you today are for Tiramisu and Italian Pastry Twists – both so delicious that they are guaranteed to delight the taste buds of every guest seated around your table!

I am saddened to think this is the end of the Italian part of my ‘Flavours of the World’ feature – but I’m excited to look ahead and imagine what the next country we’ll be studying might be...:-)

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 TIRAMISU

{Recipe Courtesy:  Easy Italian in Minutes}

175ml (6fl oz) Strong black coffee

3 tbsp Marsala or sherry

3 tbsp Brandy

8 Trifle sponges

250g (8oz) tub Mascarpone

300ml (½ pint) double Cream, lightly whipped

4 level tbsp icing sugar, sifted

25g (1oz) Cocoa powder

Mix together the coffee, Marsala and brandy.  Place 4 trifle sponges in a serving dish and pour over half the coffee mixture.  Mix together the mascarpone, cream and icing sugar and spoon half over the sponges.  Place the remaining trifle sponges on top, and pour over the remaining coffee mixture.  Top with the rest of the mascarpone mixture and smooth the surface.  Sieve cocoa over the top and chill for at least 2-3 hours before serving.  Note:  We spread a thick layer of whipped cream over our tiramisu, and then sieved over the cocoa powder before serving.

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CROSTOLI ~ ITALIAN PASTRY TWISTS

{Recipe Courtesy:  Food and Home Entertaining, June 2008}

240g Cake flour

2 Eggs

30ml Butter

Zest of 1 lemon

80ml Dry white wine or grappa

A pinch of baking powder

10ml Vanilla extract

40ml Sugar

Oil, for deep-frying

Icing sugar, to dust

Combine all the ingredients for the dough in a bowl, pour out on a lightly floured work surface and knead well for a few minutes.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Take a little of the dough and roll it out as thinly as possible.  Cut with a fluted pastry wheel into long narrow strips and twist to resemble bows.  Heat the oil in a heavy-based pot and fry turning them, until they are golden, about 2 minutes.  Drain on paper towel and cool.  Repeat till all the dough is used.  Place the Crostoli in a bowl and sprinkle generously with icing sugar before serving.

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“Arrivederci, dear friends!”