Italian Cake Christmas Pudding is a modern Fusion recipe (based on an Italian original) for a classic no-bake cake with panetone, candied chestnuts and an egg, sugar, mascarpone and cream filling with marsala wine and liqueur. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Fusion version of: Italian Cake Christmas Pudding.
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This Christmas pudding, which I believe is originally a Nigella Lawson recipe, is not a traditional Italian recipe. Rather it’s based on Italian Christmas cakes or breads (either panettone or pandoro), recipes for both of which you can find on this site. It makes an elegant dessert, which is even better in that it requires only assembly and no cookery. This will also keep in the refrigerator for up to two days. As a result, rather than Christmas I tend to make this for a Hogmanay or New Year’s Eve meal. But if you want a lighter dessert for Christmas, this is ideal. There is no real cooking time required here, just assembly. The original recipe called for Tuaca, an English brandy liqueur which is a sweet golden-brown blend of brandy, citrus essences, vanilla. Typically, I would use home-made Seville orange brandy, Amaretto (if you like almonds), Aurum (an Italian orange liqueur) or limoncello.
This dessert is garnished with pomegranate seeds (actually arils) for luck on New Year.
Ingredients:
625g (1lb 6oz) panettone (or pandoro)
6 tbsp Amaretto, Aurum or limoncello (at a pinch use brandy or rum)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
75g (3/8 cup) caster sugar
500g (2 cups) mascarpone, at room temperature
250ml (1 cup) double (heavy) cream, at room temperature
125ml (1/2 cup) Marsala wine
75g (2¾oz) marrons glacés (candied chestnuts), chopped
125g (4½oz) finely-chopped chocolate (at least 75% cocoa solids)
100g (3½o) pistachios, chopped
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
Method:
Using a serrated knife, roughly slice the panettone (or pandoro) into 1cm (1/2 in) thick slices, then use about a third of these to line the base of a 23cm/9in springform cake tin. Tear off pieces to fit so that there are no gaps: panettone is fabulously soft and mouldable, so this shouldn’t be a hard job. Drizzle two tablespoons of your choice of liqueur over it so that the panettone lining is dampened. It should look like a beautiful golden patchwork made out of cake.
Now make a start on the filling. Whisk, either with a hand whisk, or electric mixer for ease, the eggs and sugar until very frothy and increased in volume and lightness. At this point gradually add and whisk in the mascarpone and double cream. When fully incorporated gradually whisk in the Marsala, then carry on whisking until the mixture is thick and spreadable. Remove 250ml (a good cupful) to a bowl or other container, cover and put in the fridge (reserve this is for the top layer, which is not added until you actually serve the cake).
Crumble the marrons glacés into the big bowl of the mascarpone cream mixture, followed by 100g of the chocolate chips and 75g of the chopped pistachios. Fold in to combine. Use half of this creamy filling to top the panettone layer that is lining the cake tin.
Use another third of the panettone slices to cover the cream filling, again leaving no holes for the cream to escape through. Dampen with another two tablespoons of liqueur.
Spoon over the remaining half of the cream mixture and spread it evenly over the top. Cover this with a third and final layer of the panettone, covering the cream as before, and drizzle over it the last two tablespoons of liqueur. Cover tightly with cling film (plastic wrap), pressing down on the top a little. Transfer to the fridge and chill overnight or for up to two days.
When you are ready to serve, take the cake out of the fridge, unmould and sit it on a flat plate or cake stand, then spread with the reserved mascarpone mixture. Don’t try to lift the cake off the base as the panettone slices at the bottom are too delectably damp.
Scatter the top – and all around the cake, if you wish – with the remaining chocolate chips, chopped pistachios and the pomegranate seeds (which will sparkle like little jewels). These sprinklings will also provide an appealing camouflage for any less than aesthetically edifying visible edges of the springform base.
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