I must be the only woman on the Western hemisphere who is not on a diet after the holidays. It can’t be healthy to be on a diet in the dead of the winter. Don’t you also need a bit of consolation?
This recipe is disarmingly easy and magically produces a large amount of a delightful dessert with a small amount of fairly ordinary ingredients.
Recipe
for the custard:
- 250 ml ( 1 cup) milk
- 1 whole egg
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 scant tablespoon maizena (corn starch)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon jam or the zest of 1/2 organic lemon
to finish:
- 250 ml ( 1 cup) whipping cream
- 3 tablespoon organic brown sugar or 6 tablespoon caramel
- light cookies or crumbled puff pastry
- optional: fresh or poached fruit
Please note that French Chantilly cream is sweetened whipped cream. In Italy however, this concoction of egg custard and whipped cream is called Chantilly and sometimes crema diplomatica.
Make the custard using my microwave method and let it cool completely. Please note that this recipe is slightly different from my classic custard as it has more sugar and a whole egg. Whip the cream until firm and add to the custard. Refrigerate until needed.
Just before serving distribute the cream into pretty serving bowls, crumble the puff pastry over it and sprinkle with brown sugar or drizzle with caramel.
In season I like to serve the Chantilly also with sliced fresh fruit like strawberries or peaches or with poached pears.
Serves 6
Having had this – fairly recently – I can totally vouch for the lightness, the deliciousness of this dessert! (And Leti, I still have your bowl!)
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I only accept bowls accompanied by that wonderful chocolate cake of you ;)…..
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Happy New year, dear Letizia! Once again, you have hit what can only be described as an Italian home run! I personally prefer the lemon jam and caramel combination – so much more indulgent. For a little gal you certainly pack a huge culinary punch. This is a perfect end to a ‘special’ dinner, one with the dearest of friends, or those family members you don’t squabble with while dining. Thank you for sharing this, noone will regret placing this before guests.
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Amos thank you for your ever kind comments! I am sure you’ll find some way to perfect it!
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I had this – or something very similar – in a restaurant in Tivoli – La Sibilla. I think they called it Crema Bracciolate – and it was heavenly. I cannot wait to try this!
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After years of tiramisu, this has become fashionable again. I am on a quest to taste as many as I can and collect new recipe ideas!
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Letizia, this sounds just lovely — and what a delightful name: “crema diplomatica!”
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well Sandra, most appropriate now that we have a decent prime minister!
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