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italian christmas cake recipe
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Italian Christmas Cake

Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 10
Author Vincenzo's Plate

Equipment

  • 2 Medium size mixing bowls
  • Medium size saucepan
  • Sieve
  • Whisk
  • Piping bag
  • Large offset spatula
  • Long sharp knife

Ingredients

  • 1 Bauli Pandoro 750g
  • ITALIAN CUSTARD
  • 8 Egg yolks
  • 400 grams Sugar
  • 100 grams Flour
  • 1 lt of Fresh Milk
  • 2-3 slices Lemon rind
  • Cinnamon stick
  • Vanilla bean stick
  • TO DECORATE
  • Mint leaves
  • Raspberries
  • Blueberries
  • 1 sachet Bauli Icing sugar it comes with the Pandoro!

Instructions

  • TO MAKE THE ITALIAN CUSTARD
  • Add 400g sugar to a mixing bowl and sift in 100g plain flour.
  • Transfer this into a medium size saucepan and put it on a stove at a low-medium temperature.
  • Add 1L of fresh milk and 8 egg yolks and stir to combine using a whisk.
  • Drop in a few strips of lemon rind, a cinnamon stick and a vanilla bean.
  • Stir gently and continuously while on heat for 5-10 minutes or until you see it start to thicken and form. Remove from heat.
  • Get a large mixing bowl and pour the custard into the bowl through a sieve so that you can get rid of any lumps and also to make sure the cinnamon, lemon and vanilla don't drop inside.
  • Add a layer of glad wrap on top of the custard so that it is touching it and stick the edges to the sides of the bowl.
  • Then, press down gently on the custard using your finger to prevent any air bubbles from forming.
  • Keep this in the fridge for a couple of hours to cool.
  • TO DECORATE THE PANDORO
  • Remove the Pandoro from the packaging and put the icing sugar to the side.
  • Place the Pandoro on its side and using a sharp, long knife, cut it into 5 slices. Make sure the bottom slice is slightly thicker than the others.
  • Place the bottom layer on a chopping/serving board and spread a thick layer of custard on top, in the centre, using a spatula.
  • Then, place the next slice of Pandoro on top, making sure it is off centre so that you start forming the shape of a Christmas tree.
  • Lather custard on top of this layer and place the next slice on top. Repeat this until you top off the Christmas cake with the final slice.
  • Put a few generous spoonful's of custard into the piping bag and squeeze small amounts onto each star peak of your Christmas tree.
  • Starting with the bottom layer, place small mint leaves on top of the custard swirls and add a raspberry to each one (it will look just like holly!).
  • On the layer above place blueberries on top of the swirls and then repeat steps 15 & 16 until you reach the top!
  • Add more custard to the top of your Italian Christmas cake and then decorate the way you like with fruit on top.
  • Finally using a sieve, sift the Bauli icing sugar on top of the dessert so it looks like s touch of snow!
  • E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!

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