“I absolutely adore the zuccotto from Lucio’s in Paddington and I’m hoping to make it for an Easter lunch. Could you obtain the recipe?”
Jane Pickard, Double Bay, NSW
Request a recipe
To request a recipe, write to Fare Exchange, Australian Gourmet Traveller, GPO Box 4088, Sydney, NSW 2001, or email us. All requests should include the restaurant’s name and address or business card, as well as your name and address.
You will need to begin this recipe a day ahead.
Ingredients
Chocolate-hazelnut cream
Chocolate mousse
Method
Main
1.Preheat oven to 160C. Whisk eggs and sugar in an electric mixer until doubled in size (5-7 minutes). Sift over flour, carefully fold through with a metal spoon, pour into a 30cm square baking paper-lined cake tin and bake in centre of oven until a skewer withdraws clean (30-40 minutes). Cool in tin for 5 minutes, then turn out and cool completely on a wire rack.
2.Line a 2.5 litre-capacity bowl (15cm deep, 25cm diameter at the top) with strips of baking paper, letting the edges hang over (this will help you remove zuccotto from mould). Halve sponge horizontally. From one half, cut a circle to fit top of bowl and set aside. From the other half, cut a 6cm diagonal incision into each corner of sponge, then carefully line bowl with sponge, cutting sponge to fit and using remaining sponge to fill any gaps. Drizzle sponge with half the Marsala and set aside.
3.For chocolate-hazelnut cream, whisk cream and sugar in an electric mixer until soft peaks form (2-3 minutes), fold through chocolate and nuts. Spoon into sponge-lined bowl, smooth top and refrigerate.
4.Meanwhile, for chocolate mousse, melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, stir occasionally until smooth (3-5 minutes), then set aside to cool slightly. Whisk egg yolks and icing sugar in a separate heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until thick and fluffy (3-5 minutes). Meanwhile, whisk eggwhites and caster sugar in an electric mixer until soft peaks form and set aside. Fold chocolate mixture into yolk mixture with a metal spoon, then fold in eggwhites and finally cream. Spoon over chocolate-hazelnut cream, smoothing top. Place reserved sponge circle on top, drizzle with remaining Marsala, cover with baking paper, weight with a large plate and refrigerate overnight.
5.To serve, carefully invert zuccotto (remove baking paper), dust with icing sugar and cocoa, cut into wedges and drizzle with warm honey.
