The best Zuppa Inglese (literally English soup) I have ever eaten is at Cacciani, a restaurant in Frascati.
A decadent treat with cake, liqueur, custard, and sour cherry jam.
Unfortunately, even after years of frequenting the restaurant, I was unable to steal the recipe from the chef. I wonder why some people are so jealous!
This is my adaptation that I make both as a monoportion dessert and as a cake.

Roman-style truffle called Zuppa Inglese

  • Preparation time: 90 minutes
  • Ingredients for 6-8 servings
  • Difficulty: Average difficult recipe

  • Ingredients
  • For the sponge cake:
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 3/4 oz (90 grams) of sugar
  • 1 ½ oz (40 grams) of all purpose flour
  • 1 oz (25 grams) of potato starch
  • For the custard:
  • 5 yolks
  • 5 oz (150 grams) of granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ oz (40 grams) of corn starch
  • Half a vanilla bean
  • Lemon peel
  • 2 cups (500 ml) of milk
  • ¼ oz (2 grams) of isinglass
  • 2 oz (50 grams) of mixed candied fruit
  • To soak:
  • Alchermes to taste
  • Rum to taste
  • For decoration:
  • 4 oz (100 grams) of egg whites
  • 7 oz (200 grams) of sugar
  • 4 tablespoons (60 ml) of water
  • 6 tablespoons of sour cherry jam
  • Candied cherries to taste
  1. Instructions
  2. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
  3. Prepare the sponge cake. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer at a moderate speed, adding half of the sugar. The mixture must be fluffy and stable.  In another bowl, whip the egg yolks with the remaining sugar. Combine the two compounds gently. Add the sifted flour and starch, then beat them with a spatula from bottom to top without disassembling the mixture.
  4. Pour the mixture into a greased and floured cake pan and cook for about twenty minutes. When cold, cut the sponge cake into two layers.
  5. Meanwhile, prepare the custard. In a small bowl, soak the isinglass in cold water for a few minutes. Rinse the icinglass, squeeze it and leave it aside. In a saucepan, beat the egg yolks with the sugar, then add the cornstarch and milk. Add the aromas to taste (lemon peel or vanilla).
  6. Cook over a gentle heat until the cream thickens, always stirring with a whisk.
  7. As soon as it is ready, put the isinglass, stirring quickly with a whisk until the icinglass is completely dissolved. Add the candied fruit, then pour the cream into a cold bowl and let it cool. Tightly covering the top of the custard with plastic wrap will prevent a skin from developing.
  8. Place the first layer of sponge cake on a plate and soak it with Alchermes. Spattle the jam and custard over the cake. Close with a second disc of cake and soak it with rum.
  9. Put the cake in the refrigerator for at least four hours.
  10. In a saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil.
  11. When the temperature of the syrup has reached 239° F, you can start to whisk the egg whites with an electric mixer.
  12. As soon as the syrup in the pan reaches 248° F, you can pour it over the egg whites. Whip with the electric mixer until the meringue is cooled.
  13. Cover the whole cake with the meringue and brown it with a pastry torch or place it under the grill in the oven at 400 °F for two to three minutes.
  14. Garnish with candied cherries.

Tips to ensure the success of the dish:

  • For the sponge cake, the eggs must be at room temperature and the flours and starches must be sieved at least 3 times.
  • The custard must be cooled quickly to avoid triggering the bacterial load.
  • When making Italian meringue, I recommend that you pour the boiling syrup flush to the bowl and, above all, do not pour it over the whip because it congeals immediately and makes a big mess.