Zuccotto Ripieno

An Italian amaretto cream cake.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1  sponge cake
• 1⁄2 cup hazelnuts
• 1⁄4 cup Amaretto
• 1⁄4 cup light rum
• 1 1⁄3 cups  whipping cream
• 1⁄3 cup powdered sugar
• 1⁄3 cup  almonds, blanched, chopped, toasted
• 1  ounce  unsweetened chocolate, grated

Directions

1. Bake hazelnuts in ungreased baking pan at 400 degrees for 5 minutes or until skins begin to crack.
2. Wrap hazelnuts in clean towel. Let stand 2 minutes then rub hazelnuts in towel to remove skins, chop.
3. Return hazelnuts to baking pan.
4. Bake about 8 minutes until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Cool.
5. Cut 4-inch circle from cake.
6. Cut remaining cake into 1-inch pieces.
7. Mix together amaretto and rum and sprinkle over cake.
8. Line large bowl with waxed paper.
9. Butter waxed paper.
10. Place cake circle on bottom of bowl.
11. Line side of bowl with three-fourths of the cake pieces.
12. Beat together whipping cream and powdered sugar in chilled medium bowl until stiff.
13. Fold in hazelnuts, almonds and chocolate.
14. Spoon filling into cake-lined bowl.
15. Place remaining cake pieces on filling.
16. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.
17. Invert onto serving plate.
18. Remove bowl and waxed paper.
19. Sprinkle with additional grated chocolate if desired.