Limoncello is a lemony liqueur that hails from the area around
Naples.
For the limoncello cream:
- 9 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon limoncello
- 1 cup whipping cream
For the garnish:
- 21/2 cups whipping cream
- 11/4 cups sugar
- 8 seedless lemons, sliced 1/4"-thick
- 16 mint sprigs
To layer:
Make the sponge cakes, cool on a rack, and cut each into 3
horizontal layers with a serrated knife. You will need 5 layers out of 6 for
this recipe.
Meanwhile, make the limoncello cream: Beat the egg yolks,
the sugar, and the salt in a large stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering
water. Whisk in the limoncello. Whisk vigorously for 5 minutes, or until the
mixture is thick and triples in volume. Cool by transferring the bowl to a larger
bowl filled with ice, whisking constantly.
Beat the cream until soft peaks form in an electric mixer.
Fold into the limoncello mixture; refrigerate the resulting mixture until needed.
Make the garnish: Beat the cream until soft peaks form in
an electric mixer; add 1/4 cup of the sugar by the spoon; beat until firm. Refrigerate.
Bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Drop in the lemon slices;
cook 2 minutes and drain. Repeat 2 more times, changing the water each time.
(Repeated boiling gets rid of the lemons' inherent bitterness.)
Combine the remaining sugar and 1 cup of water in a 3-quart
pot. Set over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Drop in the lemon slices; cook over
medium-low heat 15 minutes, or until somewhat soft, without stirring. Remove
to a tray with a slotted spoon; spread out in a single layer. Layer the cake:
Place the bottom layer of one cake on a serving platter. Brush with 2 tablespoons
of the limoncello using a pastry brush. Top with one-quarter of the limoncello
cream, spreading it almost to the edges. Add another bottom cake layer. Brush
with 2 tablespoons of the limoncello. Spoon on one-third of the remaining limoncello
cream, spreading it almost to the edges. Add a middle cake layer, brush with
2 tablespoons of the limoncello, and spoon on half of the remaining limoncello
cream, spreading it almost to the edges. Add another middle cake layer, brush
with the remaining 2 tablespoons of limoncello, and spoon on the remaining limoncello
cream, spreading it almost to the edges. Finish with a top cake layer, turning
it upside down first. Using a metal spatula, cover the top and sides of the
cake with the whipped cream. Top with the candied lemons and mint and serve.
Serves 16
Variation: Crush 1/2 pound of amaretti cookies in a food processor
and pat them onto the sides of the cake after you have covered the cake with
whipped cream, then festoon half-slices of candied lemon around the top edge
of the sides of the cake.
Copyright © 2006, Italian Cooking and Living. All rights reserved.
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