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Zuccotto a Creamy Italian Dessert Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 82 reviews

Zuccotto is a luscious, creamy Italian dessert cake featuring layers of moist sponge cake soaked in coffee liqueur, filled with a rich coffee-infused pastry cream, whipped chocolate cream, and decorated with coffee-flavored whipped cream and chocolate curls. This chilled, dome-shaped cake offers a delightful combination of bittersweet chocolate, espresso, and smooth creaminess to satisfy dessert lovers.

Ingredients

Scale

Sponge Cake and Liqueur

  • 1 sponge cake (baked in a 9″ tin or a pound cake cut into ½” slices)
  • 2 oz coffee liqueur (+ 1 Tbsp, such as Kahlua or your choice of liqueur)

Chocolate

  • 4 oz semisweet chocolate (broken into pieces)
  • 2 oz dark chocolate (grated)
  • 2 Tbsp grated chocolate or chocolate curls for decoration

Pastry Cream

  • 4 egg yolks (organic)
  • 3 ½ oz sugar
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • 17 oz milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream and Coffee

  • 10 oz heavy whipping cream (for folding into pastry cream)
  • 8 oz heavy whipping cream (for decoration)
  • 2 tsp instant espresso powder (divided, 1 tsp for filling, 1 tsp for whipped cream)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Bowl and Line with Cake: Line a 2 ½ quart bowl with plastic wrap, ensuring the wrap is much larger than the bowl to cover the top later. Cut the sponge cake in half. Place one slice on the bottom of the bowl. For a loaf cake, cut slices into triangles and fit them like a jigsaw puzzle to fully cover the bottom. Slice some of the other half into strips and use them to line the sides of the bowl. This takes just a few minutes and forms a full cake lining. Sprinkle all the cake pieces with your choice of coffee liqueur (Kahlua recommended).
  2. Make the Pastry Cream: Off heat, whisk egg yolks and sugar briskly in a medium pot with a wooden spoon. Gradually add flour, mixing well to avoid lumps. Heat milk with vanilla to boiling. Slowly add hot milk a little at a time to the egg mixture, stirring continuously to prevent curdling. Once fully combined, return pot to medium heat and stir continuously until mixture boils. Allow it to cook for 3-4 minutes to thicken, then remove from heat and keep stirring as it cools to prevent skin formation.
  3. Melt the Chocolate: Melt semisweet chocolate gently in the microwave or over a bowl of hot water (double boiler method). Set aside to cool slightly.
  4. Make the Zuccotto Filling: In a medium bowl, whip 10 oz heavy whipping cream with 1 tsp instant espresso powder until stiff peaks form. Fold this whipped coffee cream gently into the cooled pastry cream along with 1 Tbsp Grand Marnier and the 2 oz grated dark chocolate until completely combined. Spread about two-thirds of this mixture into the cake-lined bowl, filling nearly to the top but leaving a hollow center.
  5. Fill the Zuccotto Center: Mix the remaining heavy cream with the melted semisweet chocolate until smooth and uniform in color. Pour this chocolate cream into the hollow center left in the zuccotto filling.
  6. Seal and Chill: Use remaining pieces of cake to cover the top of the zuccotto, closing the hole in the center. Sprinkle with more coffee liqueur, seal the entire bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight to allow flavors to meld.
  7. Decorate the Zuccotto: Beat the remaining 8 oz heavy cream with 1 tsp instant espresso powder and 2 Tbsp sugar until stiff peaks form to make coffee-flavored whipped cream. When ready to serve, remove the top plastic wrap, place a flat plate or cake stand on top of the zuccotto bowl, and invert to unmold the cake. Remove the bowl and spread the coffee whipped cream over the top and sides. Create swirls or peaks as desired, then garnish with grated chocolate curls or shavings. Chill the decorated cake for about an hour before serving for best texture.

Notes

  • Using a good-quality coffee liqueur like Kahlua enhances the coffee flavor.
  • Be careful not to curdle the pastry cream when combining hot milk and egg yolks by adding milk gradually.
  • If you do not have Grand Marnier, you can substitute it with another orange-flavored liqueur or omit it.
  • The cake tastes best after chilling overnight, allowing the flavors to marry and the cake to set properly.
  • Use fresh organic eggs for best pastry cream quality.
  • You can decorate with additional chocolate curls, cocoa powder, or coffee beans for presentation.

Keywords: Zuccotto, Italian dessert, coffee cake, pastry cream, chocolate cream, whipped cream, chilled dessert

Find it online: https://savorandsimmer.com/zuccotto-a-creamy-italian-dessert-cake-recipe/