Zuppa inglese (Italian trifle)

Name: Zuppa inglese (Italian trifle)
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 110 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Eggs (about 2 medium) ½ cup; Type 00 flour ¼ cup; Potato starch ¼ cup; Sugar 0.3 cup; Fine salt 1 pinch; Vanilla bean 1; Whole milk 1.6 cups; Heavy cream ½ cup; Egg yolks (about 4 medium eggs) 0.3 cup; Cornstarch 0.3 cup; Sugar 0.6 cup; Vanilla bean 1; Dark chocolate ½ cup; Alchermes ½ cup; Unsweetened cocoa powder to taste

it es br de fr

657

Calories per serving

Energy Kcal 657
Carbohydrates g 95.4
of which sugars g 71.6
Protein g 12
Fats g 20.6
of which saturated fat g 10.2
Fiber g 0.5
Cholesterol mg 370
Sodium mg 402

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 50 min
Makes: 4 pieces
Cost: Average
Note + cooling time for the pan di Spagna (sponge cake) and cream

PRESENTATION

Golden layers with a pop of pink color make Zuppa Inglese a standout at any gathering, always catching eyes with its creamy, soft texture and a taste kids and adults both love. This classic Italian dessert stands out as a go-to for family meals, not just because it's beautiful (those ruby-red Alchermes-soaked cookies really make it pretty), but because it feels SPECIAL—like something you want to share with people you care about. The fluffy texture and nice layers add to the fun, letting every scoop hold a bit of chocolate, vanilla, and fruit flavor that’s just sweet enough. Families often choose no-bake desserts like this for big celebrations (think birthdays, Sunday suppers, or just a nice treat after dinner)...it’s one of those desserts that really does make the table feel more inviting. With its roots in traditional cooking and that famous Italian approach to layered sweets, Zuppa Inglese is DELICIOUS, especially when you see those bright colors on your plate. Kids love the look—grownups enjoy the rich flavor—and you pretty much always hear, “wow, that’s GOOD.”

Busy families often look for budget recipes that still feel a little special, and Zuppa Inglese really fits that need. Works for quick celebrations or something fancier—the versatility is hard to beat. Home cooks like that it’s a reliable pick for meal prep since the dessert holds together nicely for potlucks, school parties, or even just having a little extra in the fridge for easy weeknight treats. Want it plain? Awesome. Like it with berries or maybe extra cream on top? Also great! Works well for people who appreciate quick meals but still want dessert to feel impressive (that’s the sweet spot...simple but memorable). Families often call it up for holidays or birthdays since it delivers crowd-pleasing results every time, plus it slides right into a lineup of easy baking favorites (though there’s zero oven involved, which is always a bonus). Regular home cooks enjoy that comfortable, familiar home cooking vibe every time they see this on the table—it’s definitely the kind of dessert you end up making again and again since it checks all the boxes: moist, flavorful, fun to serve, and really satisfying for everybody.

INGREDIENTS

657

Calories per serving

Ingredients for a 7-inch (18 cm) round sponge cake: Eggs ½ cup (110 g) - (about 2 medium); Type 00 flour ¼ cup (30 g); Potato starch ¼ cup (30 g); Sugar 0.3 cup (60 g); Fine salt 1 pinch; Vanilla bean 1

For the pastry cream: Whole milk 1.6 cups (400 g); Heavy cream ½ cup (100 g); Egg yolks 0.3 cup (72 g) - (about 4 medium eggs); Cornstarch 0.3 cup (45 g); Sugar 0.6 cup (140 g); Vanilla bean 1; Dark chocolate ½ cup (50 g)

To decorate: Alchermes ½ cup (100 g); Unsweetened cocoa powder to taste

Preparation of a 7-inch (18 cm) round sponge cake

To prepare the zuppa inglese (Italian trifle), start by making the pan di Spagna (sponge cake). Pour the eggs into a bowl at room temperature and beat them with a whisk while adding the sugar a little at a time 1. Continue for about ten minutes or until the mixture becomes clear and frothy: you can also do the "writing" test by lifting a spoonful of the mixture and letting it drip as if you were tracing letters with it 2. Next, place a strainer in the bowl and pour in the flour and potato starch 3.

Fold in the dry ingredients with gentle upward movements, making sure that no residue is left on the bottom of the bowl 4. Pour the dough into a previously buttered and floured 7-inch (18 cm) round mold 5. Level the surface with a rubber spatula and bake in a preheated oven, in static mode at 320°F (160°C) for about 40 minutes, placing the drip pan on the lower shelf (not in contact with the base); leave to cool and then remove from the pan 6.

Preparation of the pastry cream and assembly

Meanwhile, prepare the pastry cream. Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan 7, scrape the vanilla seeds, keeping them aside, from the pod and place the latter into the saucepan. Let it warm up to just under the boiling point 8. In the meantime, pour the vanilla seeds on the yolks 9,

add the sugar, beat quickly and then sift the corn starch 11. By now the milk and cream should be hot, so discard the pod 12

and pour a couple of ladles into the egg mixture to dilute it 13. Then pour into the pan 14 and stir with a whisk while cooking for a few minutes. As soon as the cream thickens, you can turn off the heat 15.

Divide the cream into two bowls 16 and pour the chocolate into one 17. Take advantage of the fact that the cream is still very hot to help you dissolve it, then cover both creams with plastic wrap and let them cool down 18.

Take the cooled pan di Spagna (sponge cake), use 2 oz (70 g) of it, cut it into vertical slices 1/4-inch (1 cm) thick 19, and trim to fit into 4 glasses of 2/3 cup (150 ml) capacity 20. Soak the sponge cake with alchermes, without exaggerating 21

and proceed by pouring a little chocolate cream first 22 and then the vanilla cream 23. Tap the glass to distribute the cream evenly and continue layering with soaked sponge cake 24,

and the two types of cream 25. Level the surface with a spatula and repeat for the other glasses. Finally put them in the refrigerator to settle for at least a couple of hours 26. Sprinkle unsweetened cocoa on your glasses of zuppa inglese before serving and enjoy your dessert 27!

Storage

Zuppa inglese (Italian trifle) can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, better if not dusted with unsweetened cocoa. If you prefer you can also freeze the single portions.

Pan di Spagna (Sponge cake) and custard creams can be prepared in advance and stored in accordance with their relevant recipes.

Tips

Instead of using pan di Spagna (sponge cake), you can make your zuppa inglese (Italian trifle) using a ready-made sponge cake base you can cut directly with the glass itself or with ladyfingers.

You can also make zuppa inglese (Italian trifle) in layers in an oven dish, to be served as a tiramisù (mascarpone cheese and ladyfingers dessert).

To make your dessert truly spectacular, garnish each cup with Italian-style meringue, to be caramelized just before serving: it will impress your guests for sure!

Interesting fact

Zuppa inglese (Italian trifle) is a soft dessert made of layers of pastry cream and cocoa-flavored cream, interspersed with pan di Spagna (sponge cake), or soft ladyfingers, soaked in Alchermes. According to the most accredited theories, zuppa inglese (Italian trifle) has its origins in the Renaissance, more precisely around 1500, when an Italian diplomat, returning from London, asked the cooks of the court of the Dukes of Este to prepare him a trifle, a typical English dessert he had tasted in England and very much appreciated. In an attempt to reproduce it, the cooks created an "Italian version" of the English trifle, substituting some ingredients to make this cake richer and more refined; pan di Spagna (sponge cake) replaced the English leavened dough, the pastry cream replaced whipped cream and, later in time, two ingredients were introduced to make the preparation more colorful: Alchermes, a fragrant and bright red liqueur in which the pan di Spagna (sponge cake) was soaked and cocoa, which served to create contrast with the pastry cream. Around 1800, zuppa inglese (Italian trifle) made its appearance in the towns of Ferrara and Bologna, prepared with the recipe that we all know today.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.