The Australian Women’s Weekly Food Magazine
WORLD Fare
Italy is famous for its “dolci”. Our sweet selection here ranges from affogato and biscotti to semifreddo and zabaglione. Bellissimo!
TIRAMISU PREP + COOK TIME 30 MINUTES (+ COOLING & REFRIGERATION) SERVES 8
2 tablespoons ground espresso coffee 1 cup (250ml) boiling water
½ cup (125ml) marsala
250g packet sponge finger biscuits 1¼ cups (310ml) thickened cream ¼ cup (40g) icing sugar
2 cups (500g) mascarpone cheese 2 tablespoons marsala, extra 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 Place coffee and the water in a coffee plunger; stand for 2 minutes before plunging. Combine coffee mixture and marsala in a medium heatproof bowl; cool for 10 minutes.
2 Place half the biscuits, in a single layer, over base of a deep 2−litre (8−cup) serving dish; drizzle with half the coffee mixture.
3 Beat cream and sifted icing sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form; transfer to a large bowl. Fold in combined mascarpone and extra marsala.
4 Spread half the cream mixture over biscuits in dish. Dip remaining biscuits, one at a time, in remaining coffee mixture; place over cream layer. Spread biscuits with remaining remaining cream mixture.
5 Cover tiramisu; refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Serve dusted with sifted cocoa.
RICOTTA & MASCARPONE TARTS WITH ROASTED PEARS PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES (+ REFRIGERATION & COOLING) SERVES 4
1½ cups (225g) plain flour ½ cup (80g) icing sugar 125g chilled butter, chopped 1 egg
CHEESE FILLING
1¼ cups (250g) fresh ricotta
½ cup (110g) caster sugar
½ cup (125g) mascarpone cheese 2 eggs
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
ROASTED PEARS
8 small pears (1kg), peeled, quartered,
cored
1 tablespoon lemon juice
⅓ cup (75g) caster sugar
1 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Grease 8 x 8cm round fluted flan tins.
2 Process flour, icing sugar and butter until crumbly. Add egg; process until ingredients just come together. Knead the dough on a floured surface for 30 seconds or until smooth. Cover; refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3 Divide pastry into eight portions. Roll each between sheets of baking paper until large enough to line tins. Line tins with pastry; trim edges. Place on an oven tray. Line pastry with baking paper; fill with dried beans or rice. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove paper and beans; bake for a further 15 minutes or until pastry is browned lightly. Cool for 10 minutes. 4 Reduce oven to 150°C/130°C fan. 5 Make cheese filling. Pour filling into pastry cases.
6 Bake tarts for 25 minutes or until just set. Cool to room temperature.
7 Increase oven to 240°C/220°C fan; make roasted pears.
8 Top tarts with cooled pears.
CHEESE FILLING
Beat ricotta and sugar in small bowl with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or until smooth. Beat in mascarpone, eggs and rind until just combined.
ROASTED PEARS
Line a baking dish with baking paper. Place the pears in dish; sprinkle with juice and sugar. Bake, turning occasionally, for 15 minutes or until browned and tender.
“Lusciously rich and creamy mascarpone features in both these desserts. Be careful not to over-beat it, as mascarpone can separate easily.” Alexandra Elliott, Food Editor, AWW Cookbooks