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Zuppa Inglese

Rum Custard Cake

This is the recipe that Jack and I like & comes from Italian Cooking in the Sunset cookbook series. This Zuppa Inglese is not very traditional, but it is delicious. More cakelike than some versions of this popular dessert, this zuppa Inglese tastes and serves best if made a day in advance. - Kay Hartman Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Orange Cake

4 eggs, separated
1 cup each sugar and sifted cake flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons each hot water and lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Orange-rum Syrup

6 tablespoons each sugar and water
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/3 cup light rum

Custard

4 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1 pint (2 cups) half-and-half (light cream) *
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons light rum
1 cup whipping cream

Frosting

1/2 cup whipping cream
Sugar
Slivered toasted almonds (optional) [I did not use the almonds]
[I garnished the cake with shaved bittersweet chocolate]

* Note - Half & half translates to half cream, or a blend of whole milk and thick/double cream - the recommended proportions vary from equal parts to four parts whole milk with one part heavy cream. It should average 10 to 12% fat. Due to its lower fat content than cream, it can't be whipped.

Grease and lightly flour a 9 to 10-inch spring-form pan (at least 2 3/4 inches deep). In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until thick and light-colored; gradually beat in sugar, beating until thick and pale. Sift flour with baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, combine hot water, lemon juice, and orange peel. Add flour mixture to beaten egg yolks alternately with hot water mixture, stirring to blend after each addition.

Using clean beaters, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Stir a fourth of the beaten egg whites into flour mixture, then fold in remaining egg whites carefully but thoroughly. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until cake is golden brown, begins to pull away from sides of pan, and springs back when touched lightly in center. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

To make syrup, combine sugar, water, orange peel, and lemon peel in a small pan over high heat. Bring to a boil, then cook rapidly for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool; blend in the 1/3 cup rum. [Do not let the sugar mixture cool. If you do, the rum will not blend. The sugar will form little rocks floating in the rum. Don't ask how I know this. When you remove the sugar from the heat, stir in the rum right away.]

To make custard, place eggs and sugar in top of a double boiler and mix thoroughly. Scald half-and-half, gradually stir into egg mixture. Place double boiler over gently simmering water. Cook, stirring constantly, until custard coats a metal sppon in a velvety smooth layer (10 to 15 minutes). Remove from heat and mix in vanilla. [I don't add the vanilla yet.] Place top of double boiler into ice water to stop cooking; stir custard frequently until cool. Stir in rum. Whip 1 cup cream until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted. Fold into cooled custard. [I didn't add the vanilla until now. I think you get more vanilla flavor when you add it to a cooled custard. I tasted the custard at this point and decided that it does not taste rummy enough. I added more rum, tasted, and then added more rum. I think I used about 1/2 cup.]

To assemble dessert, remove pan side from cake, leaving cake on base. Carefully cut cake horizontally into 3 equal layers and lift off the top 2 layers. Replace pan sides around pan bottom holding the remaining cake layer.

Drizzle cake bottom layer with a third of the syrup, then cover with a third of the custard. Carefully place the middle layer of cake on the custard, sprinkle this layer with another third of the syrup, then another third of the custard. Set top cake layer in place, sprinkle with remaining syrup, pour on remaining custard, and spread
evenly. Cover cake lightly to protect top. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or until next day.

Remove pan sides. Whip the 1/2 cup cream until stiff, sweeten slightly with sugar, and spread on cake sides. Garnish top of cake with nuts, if desired. [I used shaved bittersweet chocolate.] Cut inwedges.