Originating from the Renaissance city of Florence, Zuccotto is a classic Tuscan dessert shaped like a dome, often inspired by the city's architecture. Traditionally made with sponge cake, liqueur, pastry cream, and chocolate, this zuccotto features a decadent twist with homemade chocolate-hazelnut truffles and a light meringue topping.
Line a dome mold with sponge cake. Prepare a soaking syrup using 200 g water, 100 g sugar, star anise, and rum. Chill and brush onto the sponge.
Make pastry cream and chill. Melt chocolate with butter and mix with ground hazelnuts. Form truffle balls, roll in cocoa, and chill.
Pipe pastry cream inside the lined mold and embed the chocolate balls. Cover with more sponge and soak again. Refrigerate to set.
Prepare meringue by whipping 300 g egg whites with 420 g sugar and salt. Unmold zuccotto, spread with meringue, and torch until golden. Garnish with berries and sponge crumbs.
Calories: 480 | Fat: 29g | Carbohydrates: 45g | Sugars: 34g | Protein: 7g
