Zuppa Inglese

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk

1¾ cups sugar

4 teaspoons cornstarch

Pinch sea salt

3 large eggs

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/3 cup diced candied orange peel

¼ cup rum

2 cups heavy cream, chilled

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

36 Savoiardi cookies (ladyfingers) OR slices of sponge cake

(see separate recipe for Pan de Espana)

Directions

Prepare Pastry Cream

Pour  milk into medium saucepan over low heat. Whisk in 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, and pinch of salt.  Bring milk to a simmer, just to dissolve the sugar. 

Whisk eggs in  medium bowl. While whisking, slowly pour hot milk into the eggs to temper them, then pour the mixture back into saucepan. 

Return  saucepan to medium- low heat, and cook, stirring and whisking, until mixture just simmers and thickens. Immediately remove from heat and scrape into a bowl to cool. Mix in the chocolate and orange peel. Refrigerate until chilled and thickened, at least 1 hour.

Prepare Sugar Syrup

Bring 3 cups water and 1 cup of the sugar to a boil in a saucepan. Boil until reduced by about a quarter. Remove from heat, stir in rum, and let cool completely.

Assemble

Whip the cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar to form soft peaks.

Fold half of the whipped cream, along with the cinnamon, into the chilled pastry cream. 

Using a 9" X 13" glass dish, make a flat layer on the bottom using half of the savoiardi (lady fingers or sponge cake).

 Brush with half of the sugar syrup to moisten, then spread half of the pastry cream on top. 

Top with another layer of savoiardi, and brush on the remaining syrup. 

Spread the rest of the pastry cream over top in an even layer, then spread with the whipped cream. If you have any savoiardi left, crumble them over the top.

 Chill several hours, or overnight, to let the flavors blend before serving.