Olive Garden Zuppa Inglese

Submitted by Member 610488

"This is a copycat recipe of Olive Garden's Zuppa Inglese which is not a soup but a dessert. The directions may seem daunting but this wonderful recipe is worth the effort. Just take it in steps."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 15mins
• Ingredients: 30
• Serves: 12

ingredients

• Italian Sponge Cake

• 5 egg yolks
• 5 egg whites
• 236.59 ml sugar
• 29.58 ml lemon juice
• 4.92 ml grated lemon peel
• 4.92 ml vanilla extract
• 2.46 ml salt
• 236.59 ml sifted cake flour

• Vanilla Creme Filling

• 118.29 ml sugar
• 29.58 ml cornstarch
• 0.61 ml salt
• 118.29 ml cold milk
• 354.88 ml scalded milk
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 9.85 ml vanilla extract

• Chocolate Creme Filling

• 42.52 g unsweetened chocolate
• 157.80 ml sugar
• 29.58 ml cornstarch
• 0.61 ml salt
• 118.29 ml cold milk
• 354.88 ml scalded milk
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 4.92 ml vanilla

• Whipped Creme

• 473.18 ml chilled whipping cream
• 88.74 ml powdered sugar
• 9.85 ml vanilla extract

• Assemble the Cake

• 59.14 ml limoncello
• 59.14 ml rum
• 59.14 ml Italian brandy
• unsweetened chocolate, grated (optional)

directions

1. Make Cremes and chill.
2. Vanilla Creme - Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan. Gradually add cold milk, stirring well. Slowly stir in the scalded milk. Stirring gently and constantly, rapidly bring mixture to boiling over direct heat and cook 3 minute
3. Pour into top of double boiler and place over simmering water. Cover and cook about 12 min, stirring 3 or 4 times. Vigorously stir about 3 Tbsp hot mixture into the eggs. Immediately blend into mixture in double boiler. Cook over simmering water 3 to 5 minute Stir slowly so mixture cooks evenly. Remove from heat and cool. Stir in vanilla extract and chill.
4. Chocolate Creme - Add unsweetened chocolate to 1 1/2 cups of milk and scald. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan. Gradually add cold milk, stirring well. Slowly stir in the scalded milk. Stirring gently and constantly, rapidly bring mixture to boiling over direct heat and cook 3 minutes.
5. Pour into top of double boiler and place over simmering water. Cover and cook about 12 min, stirring 3 or 4 times. Vigorously stir about 3 Tbsp hot mixture into eggs. Immediately blend into mixture in double boiler. Cook over simmering water 3 to 5 minute Stir slowly so mixture cooks evenly. Remove from heat and cool. Stir in vanilla extract. Chill.
6. Whipped Creme - Beat whipping cream, 1 cup at a time, in a chilled 1-quart bowl using chilled beaters. Beat until cream stands in peaks. Put whipped cream into a large chilled bowl. Fold or beat confectioner's sugar and vanilla extract into whipped cream until blended.
7. Sponge Cake - Combine egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, and vanilla extract. Beat 3 - 4 minutes with an electric mixer on medium-high speed; set aside. Add salt to egg white and beat until frothy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating constantly until stiff peaks are formed. Gently fold egg yolk mixture into beaten egg whites. Sift flour over the egg mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, gently folding until just blended after each addition.
8. Pour batter into three 11 x 7 x 1 1/2 inch baking pans. Bake at 325F for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched or when a cake tester inserted comes out clean. Invert and leave cake in pan until completely cooled.
9. Assemble - Place one layer of the cake on serving dish and sprinkle with the Italian Brandy. Spread half the vanilla creme. Place the second layer of cake crust side down and sprinkle with Lemoncello. Spread half the chocolate creme. Place the third layer of cake crust side down and sprinkle with Rum. Cover the top of the cake with the remaining vanilla creme. Cover the sides of the cake with the remaining chocolate creme. Decorate the top and bottom edges with the whipped creme using a pastry bag and tip. Sprinkle the top of the cake with grated unsweetened chocolate. Store dessert in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Reviews

[Dee514]

Not a "review," but a comment: <br/>Well, the Olive Garden can call it whatever they want to, but the recipe is closer to a "Sicilian Cream Cake" (aka Cassata) than a Zuppa Inglese recipe.<br/>My only other comment is about the use of the liqueurs in the posted recipe - the rum should be used with the chocolate custard layer, the limoncello should be used with the vanilla custard layer - as for the brandy, most Cassata recipes do not use brandy, but if you are going to use brandy, it will work with either the vanilla or chocolate pastry cream layer. Most Cassata recipes use rum, not brandy, and rarely use limoncello.