Learn to master the art of making delicious Italian custatd cake. Also known as ‘continental cake’, it is a very traditional cake used by many Italian families. Not only is it one of the most delicious cakes you will ever taste, it is so simple, versatile, and inexpensive to make. Just follow the recipe below and remember that the key to baking is precision and precision. The end result will be perfection.

Pie:

Ingredients:

5 eggs, room temperature

250g sugar beaver

2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla sugar

100 g of corn flour

100 g of all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

75 ml cold water

Method:

1) Grease a 24 cm removable pan and line with greaseproof parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius.

2) Separate the eggs in a bowl. Beat the egg whites until very firm with 75 ml of cold water. Beat the castor sugar and vanilla sugar very quickly, do not beat too much. (If you don’t have vanilla sugar, you can just replace it with castor sugar.) Add the beaten egg yolks and beat until the mixture forms an “8”.

3) Sift the cornmeal, all-purpose flour, and baking powder 3 times. Gently fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture, being careful not to remove any air.

4) Gently roll the dough into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 50 minutes until golden brown or when inserting a skewer it comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Lemon flan:

Ingredients:

500ml whole milk

75g sugar beaver

1 vanilla bean

1/4 cup marsala

3 egg yolks

40 g of cornmeal

strips of skin from 1 lemon (use a potato peeler)

Chocolate nustard:

Ingredients:

500ml whole milk

75g sugar beaver

1 vanilla bean

1/4 cup marsala

3 egg yolks

40 g of cornmeal

3-4 tablespoons of good quality cocoa powder

Method:

1) Divide the vanilla bean vertically in half and scrape off the seeds. Put the milk with half the sugar, the vanilla seeds and the pod, the marsala and the lemon peel in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.

2) Meanwhile, mix in the egg yolks and the remaining sugar. Once incorporated, gradually add the cornmeal to form a paste.

3) When the milk has boiled remove from the heat and pour a little milk into the yolk paste, beat to incorporate. Adding a small amount at the beginning will prevent lumps from forming in the custard. Continue adding slowly until half the milk is used.

4) Bring the rest of the milk to a boil and pour over the yolk mixture, then pour the entire batch back into the saucepan.

5) Cook over medium heat stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens. (It may seem lumpy at first, but don’t panic. Keep stirring over the heat and it will cook)

6) Once the custard has thickened, place it in a heat-resistant container. Quickly remove the lemon peel and vanilla bean, cover with cling film to prevent a skin from forming on top. Make sure the cling film touches the pastry cream so it doesn’t steam up and form water droplets. Refrigerate until cold.

7) Once the custard has cooled it will seem too hard, however start beating it with an electric mixer and it will come together until smooth and silky. The consistency should be thick but not hard. If you find that the custard is a little too firm, add about 1 tablespoon extra milk or more if needed, until it becomes thick and smooth.

To make chocolate custard – Skip the lemon zest. Add the cocoa at the beginning of step three and stir to dissolve. Taste it and adjust it to the chocolate you like. Follow the remaining steps to make the custard as above.

To assemble the cake:

Use about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of liquor like marsala or sherry for each layer. For a non-alcoholic version, use sugared cold coffee as a substitute. See note below.

Once the cake has cooled, cut the cake horizontally to form two layers. You should have three sponge discs. Place a cake disk on a plate and moisten the cake with your chosen liquor or coffee. Spread the lemon curd over the cake and place the second layer on top. Repeat the process with the liquor or coffee mixture and spread over the chocolate custard. Cover with the third sponge disk and cover with cling film. Refrigerate overnight to set. Cake stored in the refrigerator for a day or two will allow the flavors to enhance.

To decorate:

Ingredients:

300 ml heavy whipping cream

2 teaspoons of sugar

2 teaspoons of vanilla essence

3/4 cup flaked toasted almonds or chopped hazelnuts

grated chocolate

Method:

1) Combine the cream, vanilla, and sugar in a bowl and beat until smooth.

2) Spread the cream evenly over the sides and top of the cake.

3) Press or toss walnuts on the sides of the cake. Pick up the fallen nuts and keep repeating the process, eventually you will have a wonderful result. Sprinkle the top with grated chocolate.

Note- Any type of your favorite liquor like Tia Maria, Frangelico, Amaretto or Galliano will be a delicious variation on your cake. Even a combination of liquor and coffee is very nice.

Whether it’s a birthday, christening, or wedding, this delicious Italian custard cake is wonderful for a celebration. Let your imagination run wild with creations and decorating ideas. Experiment with combinations of liquor flavors and custard flavors. A variation is to use orange peel instead of lemon peel for the chocolate liqueur custard, creating a jaffa flavor. The variations and combinations of flavors are endless.

Best served with a cup of hot espresso or sweet dessert wine. Enjoy!