Recipe - Zuccotto

6 ounce Coffee liqueur
20 Savoiardi, sponge fingers
One half pt Double cream
1 One half ounce Powdered sugar
2 ounce Chocolate chips
2 ounce Each hazelnuts and almonds,
Shelled & toasted, chopped
3 ounce Chocolate pieces
2 tablespoon Cocoa powder
2 tablespoon Powdered sugar

Line a 1.2litre/2pint roundbottomed bowl or pudding basin with damp
muslin or cheesecloth, leaving it hanging over the rim.

Put all but 3 Tbsp of the liqueur in a shallow dish, dip in the sponge
fingers one at a time and use to line the bowl or basin, placing them
sugared side outwards. Fill the bottom and any gaps with
liqueursoaked trimmings so that the lining is completely solid.
Chill for 30 minutes. Reserve the remaining sponge fingers and
liqueur.

Whip the cream with the icing sugar until very thick and standing in
stiff peaks. Transfer threequarters to a separate bowl. Stir the
nuts and chocolate chips into the remaining onequarter, then spread
this over the sponge fingers to make an inner lining. Return to the
refrigerator. Put the chocolate pieces and remaining 3 Tbsp liqueur
in a heatproof bowl. Stand the bowl over a pan of gently simmering
water and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has
melted and is smooth. Remove from the heat and leave to cool
slightly, then stir into the remaining whipped cream. Use to fill
the centre of the bowl or basin and smooth over the surface. Cover
with the remaining sponge fingers dipped in the rest of the liqueur.
Press the sponge fingers down firmly, then cover with the muslin.
Place a plate with heavy weights on top and chill overnight.

To serve, remove the weights and unfold the muslin, then run a palette
knife carefully between the muslin and the bowl/basin. Invert a
serving plate over the mould and turn the Zuccotto out onto it.
Carefully remove the muslin. Decorate with alternate sections of
sifted cocoa powder and icing sugar. Fold a circle of greaseproof
paper into 8 sections, then cut out each alternate one. Place over
the Zuccotto and sift over the cocoa powder, then move the paper
around so that the cocoa powder is covered and sprinkle with the
icing sugar. If you are in a rush the Zuccotto can, of course, be
simply dusted with either icing sugar or cocoa instead of both but
the decoration is worth the effort for a special occasion.

File ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/mmkah001.zip