Zuccotto has everything going for it so I’m not sure why it isn’t up there in the ranks of famous Italian desserts.  But I have rarely come across it.  Not exactly a cake, although it includes sponge cake, not exactly not a cake so we’ll settle on dessert.

My first attempt at Zuccotto left me unimpressed.  Perhaps because I am not a fan of ricotta cheese.  Adding whipped cream and mascarpone simply made three neutral flavors predominant.  So I went about using the flavors of Italy – amaretto, hazelnuts, cherries, candied orange, cinnamon, and chocolate to amp up the flavor and give it a lot of character.  As with many European desserts, this is not overly sweet.  Continue reading →