We’ve reached the last appointment of the year with the Light and Tasty recipes, an appointment we dedicate to Christmas every year and which today in particular wants to highlight the red color that creates such a festive atmosphere. 😊 But today at our home it’s also candle-blowing day! (it’s my other half’s turn!). Yes, anyone who has a birthday in the week of Christmas knows how it is, with that atmosphere that makes everything feel Christmassy regardless of the actual date, and you never really know how to celebrate that birthday. 😃 But today I’ll reveal how I solved the dilemma: I present to you the zuccotto of English trifle, the birthday cake for our Christmas birthdays!

A dessert that has a beautiful red color, just festive enough, and also the birthday person’s favorite dessert. 😍

Zuppa inglese is an evergreen dessert that tastes like home and family traditions, and it cannot be missing on special occasions. You agree with me, right?

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Here are other dessert ideas for Christmas day:

Rest time: 2 Hours
Preparation time: 1 Hour
Portions: 6
Cooking methods: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: All seasons, Christmas

Ingredients

☝ This recipe is in an egg-free version (both creams are egg-free and made with plant-based milk), a necessary choice since this is a Light and Tasty recipe. It’s a lighter version that I hope won’t upset purists of traditional recipes, and I recommend you try it because I’ve made it several times and it turns out delicious. Later in the procedure I’ll also include the instructions to make the recipe with classic pastry cream. 😊

egg-free pastry cream
egg-free chocolate cream
ladyfingers (savoiardi) (about 30, depending on the mold size)
Alchermes (as needed, roughly 1 cup)

Tools

1 Mold
2 Saucepan
1 Bowl

Steps

First of all prepare the two creams well in advance so they have time to cool.
Follow the recipe for the egg-free pastry cream and let it cool.
Follow the recipe for the egg-free chocolate cream and let it cool.
For those who wish to use classic pastry cream, here at this link is my classic recipe. In that case, to assemble the zuccotto prepare a double quantity of cream, then divide it and add to one half (while it is still hot) about 50 g of chopped dark chocolate (amount can be adjusted to taste). Stir to melt the chocolate, then let it cool.
Dilute the Alchermes with water.
☝ For the water-to-Alchermes ratio I go by eye, roughly two thirds Alchermes and one third water. The amount of Alchermes listed in the ingredients is indicative; I usually prepare the soaking liquid without measuring, and if it’s not enough I make more as needed.
👉 Not everyone dilutes the Alchermes; some use it undiluted because they prefer a more alcoholic zuppa inglese (obviously if the dessert is not for children) or dilute it with other liqueurs such as brandy, rum or sassolino (an anise liqueur). Others dilute Alchermes with sugared water or a syrup made by boiling water and sugar.
😊 I prefer to dilute it with plain water, otherwise the dessert tastes too strong (i.e., too alcoholic) or too sweet.
After soaking the ladyfingers, arrange them in the mold covering the bottom and the sides.
Pour in the first layer of cream.
Cover the cream with a layer of soaked ladyfingers.
Pour the layer of chocolate cream.
Complete with another layer of soaked ladyfingers.
👉 Depending on need, or on the size of the mold used, you can repeat the layers.
Cover the mold with a plate or cling film, and chill the zuccotto in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours.
Then unmold it onto a plate.
And here is the zuccotto of English trifle in birthday cake version. 😊
Here’s the whole zuccotto…
(those who follow me on Facebook may remember when I shared this photo with the little candle! 😃)
…and here the zuccotto sliced (half eaten!). 😋
How delicious is zuppa inglese on a scale of 1 to 100❓For me 300❗