By Ippolita Douglas Scotti:
Here in Italy, we have several classic takes on Christmas dishes. But rather than try to make a difficult Christmas Cake from scratch, I suggest you try the sweet tradition of the pandoro with mascarpone cream.
This delicious cream is easy to make. You
absolutely have to try it! However, I confess that it is not a light dish—you’ll probably gain weight just thinking about its superb taste—but believe me, it is worth it! Diet is for next year!
This joyful dessert is so simple. All you do is purchase
a pandoro from an Italian bakery or specialty market
and add this delicious, rich cream to it. You’ll have
the perfect Christmas dessert!
Pandoro with Mascarpone Cream
1 pandoro cake 3 eggs 3 tablespoons of sugar 3 tablespoons of powdered vanilla sugar 16 oz. (500 grams) mascarpone cream Powdered sugar to sprinkle
Beat eggs with sugar. Add the mascarpone and mix well until you have a smooth, velvety cream.
Cut the pandoro widthwise into slices 1/2" – 1" (2–3 cm) thick. Spread each slice with a little bit of mascarpone cream, taking care to leave a little aside for the final decoration.
Place the slices in an alternating manner so that the tips stick about below each slice to create a star.
Put the pandoro in the refrigerator overnight so that the cream will settle.
Take the pandoro out 20 minutes before serving and add the remaining mascarpone cream to the tips. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Contessa Ippolita Douglas Scotti di Vigileno is a true Italian—born in Florence, Italy, from a long line of eccentric Italian aristocrats, she has traveled the world in search of adventure, romance, and magical, mouth-watering recipes. "Ippo" loves Italian history, especially as it relates to food. Author of There's a Beatle in My Soup, Curcuma e Zenzero (Ginger & Tumeric), 101 Perche Sulla Storia di Firenze (101 questions on Florence History), and Superfoods, Ippo is currently finishing her latest work, The Lords of Florence (all published by Newton Compton Publishers).