Giada at Home: Family Recipes From Italy and California (27 page)

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.

In another large bowl, beat the sugar and eggs with an electric mixer until pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Mix in the lemon zest and then the flour mixture, and beat until just blended. (The dough will be sticky.) Stir in the almonds. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

Divide the dough evenly into 2 equal mounds and place on the prepared baking sheet. With moist hands, space the dough evenly apart and form into 2 loaves, each 9 × 3 inches. Bake for 35 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes.

Using a serrated knife, cut the logs crosswise into ¾-inch-thick diagonal slices. Arrange the biscotti cut side up on the same baking sheet. Bake until the cookies are pale golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely.

Pour the chocolate chips into a heat-proof bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the pan does not touch the water. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth, about 3 minutes.

Dip the end of each biscotti in the chocolate. Transfer the dipped biscotti to a wire rack, set over a baking sheet, until the chocolate has hardened. Store in an airtight container.

Raspberry Pound Cake with Vin Santo Cream

Pound cakes may not be the flashiest cakes in the baker’s arsenal, but when you are craving something rich and satisfying, few things can beat them. Raspberries make this one special, with a tart tang and lovely flecks of fuchsia when you slice into the loaf. I dreamed this up for my husband, who is particularly fond of raspberries in his desserts, but now it’s become a year-round favorite with us both. Try the vin santo cream on poached fruit or even in a cup of strong coffee. It’s unusual but delicious.

Place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9 × 5 × 3-inch nonstick loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, orange zest, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk to combine. Place 3 tablespoons of the flour mixture in a small
bowl. Add the mashed raspberries and gently toss until coated (the mixture may clump).

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the granulated sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. With the machine running, add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, mixing until just incorporated. Gently fold in the raspberries with a rubber spatula (see Cook’s Note).

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool for 20 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the vin santo cream: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream until it holds soft peaks. Add the vanilla extract, confectioners’ sugar, and vin santo. Continue to whip until the cream holds stiff peaks.

Transfer the pound cake to a serving platter. Slice and serve with a dollop of the vin santo cream.

COOK’S NOTE:
Make sure you barely fold in the mashed raspberries so you get a pretty marbled effect; if you mix too vigorously, the raspberries will break down and turn the pound cake purple.

Arborio rice is essentially risotto rice. I use these short grains to make classic risottos but also for this most decadent dessert. It’s rich, creamy, and, most important, absolutely loaded with chocolate! When I serve this I make a very light meal so everyone has room to indulge and the pudding is the star of the show. It’s a good choice if you need to make dessert ahead of time, as it keeps well in the refrigerator for several days.

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the milk, rice, sugar, and orange zest. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean and add the bean to the saucepan. Bring the milk to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the rice is tender and the mixture thickens, 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and discard the vanilla bean. Stir the cocoa powder and orange liqueur into the mixture. Add the chocolate chips and stir until melted. Allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Spoon the rice pudding into serving bowls. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2½ to 3 hours or up to 1 day before serving.

Lemon Hazelnut Tiramisù

Only the mascarpone and the ladyfingers in this lemony dessert give a nod to a traditional tiramisù, but my California spin on this beloved dessert is just as addictive. I think lemon makes everything taste a bit lighter (so I can eat more without feeling weighed down!), and the hazelnuts add a delicate flavor and lots of crunch. So while no one will mistake this for the original, I promise it will make anyone you serve it to very, very happy.

For the lemon-hazelnut syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the lemon juice, ½ cup water, and the sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Take the pan off the heat and allow the syrup to cool, about 20 minutes. Stir in the hazelnut liqueur.

For the tiramisù: In a food processor or blender, pulse the hazelnuts until finely chopped (but not a paste). Add the lemon zest and pulse once to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream in a large bowl until thick. Add the cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of the sugar and continue to whip until the cream holds soft peaks. In another
bowl, beat together the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and the mascarpone cheese for 30 seconds. Mix one quarter of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the remaining whipped cream. Set aside.

Pour the lemon-hazelnut syrup into a small, shallow bowl. Dip 16 of the ladyfinger cookies in the syrup. Line the bottom of a 13 × 9 × 2-inch serving dish or other decorative serving dish with the dipped cookies, trimming the cookies, as necessary, to form an even layer. Spread one third of the mascarpone mixture over the cookies. Sprinkle with one third of the hazelnut mixture. Form 2 more identical layers, each consisting of 16 dipped ladyfinger cookies and ending with a layer of the mascarpone mixture sprinkled with the hazelnut mixture.