Zuppa Inglese

Cooking Instructions

Prepare the bocca di dama, then let cool for at least 3 hours. (It would be much better if the bocca di dama could be done one day in advance.)

Using the egg yolks, sugar, potato starch or flour, milk, and orange peel, make a Crema Pasticcera according to the directions on page 562 [see below].

Put water in the bottom part of a double boiler and set on the heat.

Place the egg yolks in a crockery or glass bowl and add the sugar and potato starch or flour. Stir with wooden spoon, always in the same direction, until the sugar and starch are completely incorporated and the egg yolks turn a lighter color. Add the lukewarm milk slowly, mixing steadily, then transfer the contents of the bowl to the top part of the double boiler, along with the lemon or orange peel or vanilla.

When the water in the bottom part of the double boiler is boiling, insert the top part. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon, always in the same direction. Just at the moment before it boils, the cream should be thick enough to stick to the wooden spoon. That is the moment it is ready. Absolutely do not allow it to boil.

Immediately remove the top part of the double boiler from the heat, and continue to stir the contents for 2 or 3 minutes more, then remove the lemon or orange peel, if present, and transfer the crema pasticcera to a crockery bowl to cool (about 1 hour).

When it is done, transfer from the top part of the double boiler to a crockery or glass bowl. Cover and let cool for 30 minutes, then place the bowl in the refrigerator until completely cold.

Cut the bocca di dama into slices less than 1/2 inch thick and set out two large serving dishes; lay half of the slices flat on one serving dish and the other half on the second. Soak the bocca di dama slices on the first serving dish with 1 cup of the rum and those on the other with the Alkermes.

Butter a 9 X 5 X 2-3/4-inch loaf pan and place it in refrigerator for about 10 minutes; meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Remove the loaf pan from the refrigerator and line it completely, bottom and sides, with soaked slices of bocca di dama, alternating rum slices with Alkermes slices. Make a thin layer of crema pasticcera over the cake lining the bottom of pan, then make another layer of cake slices and cover it with crema pasticcera. Repeat the procedure until the pan is completely filled; the top layer must be of cake slices.

Cover the top of the pan and place in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes, then place in the refrigerator until completely cold (about 3 hours).

Remove the pan from the refrigerator and unmold the zuppa inglese onto a large serving dish. Pour the remaining 1/2 cup rum over and serve, slicing it like a loaf of bread.