Vanilla Bean Zabaglione with Berries

Picture from "TheItaliandishblog.com"

serves 4

• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon dry Marsala wine
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split seeds scraped out
• 1 Tablespoon orange juice
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup blackberries
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Chambord (optional, but yummy) 

Whip the cream until it is stiff and place in the refrigerator. 

Prepare an ice bath (just a large bowl filled with ice water) and set aside.  Fill a medium saucepan with about 2 inches of water, place on the stove and bring the water to a simmer.

In a medium size stainless steel bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, wine, vanilla bean seeds and orange juice until blended.  Set the bowl over the simmering water and whisk until the mixture is thick, about 5-8 minutes.  It can take as long as 10 minutes.  Make sure the water is just barely simmering and not boiling - you do not want to cook the eggs, but gently heat them up. 

When the mixture is thick, turn off the heat and place the bottom of the bowl in the ice bath to cool down (make sure to not get any water into the mixture).  Whisk for a couple of minutes until the mixture has cooled down. Fold the whipped cream into the mixture.  (At this point, you can refrigerate the mixture until you are ready to use it).

Place the berries, the sugar and the Chambord in a bowl and gently toss.  Divide into 4 glasses.  Top with the zabaglione.

make ahead tip:  you can make the zabaglione ahead of time (folding in the whipped cream or not) if you like and then assemble before serving.  

The Italian Dish
theitaliandishblog.com

Carmel Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:
7 grams (0.25 ounces) active dry yeast (or 1 packet if you don't have bulk)
1/4 cup warm water (100-110 degrees)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening (102 grams)
1 teaspoons kosher salt
3 eggs beaten
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour (675 grams)

For the Carmel Pecan Topping:
1/3 cup of brown sugar in each of three 9 inch round baking pans
2 tablespoons butter in each pan
1 tablespoon of either light or dark corn syrup (I use a little of both) in each pan
1/4 cup chopped pecans in each pan.

Cinnamon Sugar for rolling into the dough:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

6 tablespoons melted butter


Directions:
Mix the yeast and warm water and let sit for 10 minutes. Combine the milk, sugar, shortening and salt in a small sauce pan and warm over medium heat until sugar and shortening melt. Stir frequently. Once the milk, sugar, shortening and salt are combined and dissolved remove sauce pan from heat and let cool to room temperature. (Cooks note: I measure the temperature and proceed when it has fallen to less than 110 degrees. The main objective is to not kill the yeast.)

Once the milk, sugar and shortening have cooled sufficiently add the yeast and water mixture and the three beaten eggs. Stir to combine with a whisk.

Place the 4 1/2 cups of flour in a mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast, milk and egg mixture to the flour in the bowl of the stand mixer. Attach the dough hook and mix until the dough forms into a ball. If the dough is really sticky add a little flour.

Turn the dough out onto your counter top and knead for about 6-8 minutes. The dough should feel nice and elastic.

Grease a bowl that will hold the ball of dough and have sufficient room to allow for a doubling in volume. The bowl should be greased with a little canola oil to prevent the dough from sticking. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and place in a warm place and allow to rise for 90 minutes.

while the dough is rising prepare the carmel pecan topping.
To each of three 9 inch baking pans add brown sugar, butter and corn syrup. Place on stove and heat over medium heat until the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup melt and combine. Once all three have melted into a single mixture add 1/4 cup of chopped pecans to each pan.

Prepare and mix the cinnamon sugar topping.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

After the dough has doubled in volume (about 90 minutes), punch the dough down and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Roll the dough to a rectangle 36 x 8 inches. This is approximate. Brush the top of the dough with the melted butter and then spread the cinnamon sugar evenly over the top of the dough. Starting with the long edge of the dough roll the dough into a cylinder. Pinch the end of the dough and position this seam on the bottom. Using a pastry scrapper or sharp knife, cut the roll of dough into 1 1/2 inch length rolls and place in the pans containing the carmel and pecan topping. You will generally get 7-8 rolls for each of the three pans.

Allow the rolls to rise for about 45 minutes at room temperature covered by a kitchen towel or wrap each pan in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight. If refrigerating overnight, remove the rolls from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature until your oven is heated to 375 degrees.

Cook in oven at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Remove when rolls are starting to brown.

Place plenty of parchment paper or foil on your work surface and place cooling racks on top of the paper. When rolls are removed from oven you will immediately invert the pan of cinnamon rolls on to the cooling racks allowing the carmel to drip over the top of the cinnamon roll.

Rolls can be eaten at this moment or wrapped in foil and freezer paper and then frozen.