Amaretti Caramel Custard Recipes

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI COOKIES

Steps:

• Adjust oven racks in the upper-third and lower-third positions. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Break the almond paste into small pieces and add it to the bowl of a food processer along with the sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Process until the almond paste is very finely chopped and well incorporated with the salt and sugar. Add the egg whites and vanilla, and process until a smooth dough forms, about 30 seconds. With a small scoop or spoon, dollop the batter onto the baking sheets, 1 tablespoon at a time, spaced 2 inches apart. Top each cookie with a few almond slivers and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
• Bake until the cookies have risen and cracked slightly but are still soft in the center, 13 to 14 minutes; rotate the baking sheets halfway through. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets. Store in an airtight container.

CARAMEL CUSTARDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat sugar and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally, until deep amber, about 7 minutes. Carefully whisk in milk and cream.
• Whisk together yolks, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Slowly pour caramel-milk mixture into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Skim any bubbles from the top. Divide evenly among four 6-ounce ramekins.
• Set ramekins in a 9-inch square baking dish. Pour boiling water into dish to come a third of the way up sides of ramekins. Bake until custards are just set but jiggle slightly, 27 to 30 minutes. Remove from water using tongs. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

CHOCOLATE-AMARETTI TORTES

Steps:

• For tortes:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter four 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Line bottom of cups with parchment paper rounds. Place on rimmed baking sheet.
• Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Using on/off turns, blend almonds, amaretti, cinnamon, and salt in processor until finely ground. Transfer to medium bowl. Add butter, sugar, and eggs to processor; mix until blended and smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, about 3 minutes. Add cookie mixture and melted chocolate. Using on/off turns, process just until blended. Divide batter among custard cups. Bake until tops of tortes are dry and puffed and tester inserted into centers comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Transfer cups to rack; cool 15 minutes. Run small knife around edges of cups to release tortes. Turn tortes out onto rack and turn right side up; cool. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Wrap in plastic and store at room temperature.)
• For topping:
• Beat together cream, sugar, and almond extract in medium bowl until cream holds peaks. (Can be made 4 hours ahead; refrigerate.)
• Place 1 torte on each of 4 plates. Top with dollop of whipped cream, sprinkle with crumbled amaretti, and serve.

EASY CARAMEL CUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix 1 tablespoon water into 1/4 cup sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until sugar is completely moistened. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the sugar and water form a golden brown syrup, about 5 minutes. Do not stir. Remove from heat and let boiling subside. Carefully stir 1 tablespoon hot water into caramel syrup.
• Whisk milk and 5 tablespoons sugar together in a saucepan over low heat; heat just until warmed and sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk eggs into milk mixture. Pour caramel syrup into an 8x8-inch baking dish. Pour egg-milk mixture over syrup. Place pan into a larger baking dish and pour enough water into outer pan to reach about 1/2 inch up the sides of the inner pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until custard has set, about 45 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes; chill in refrigerator before serving.

AMARETTO CUSTARD

Steps:

• Warm Half& Half.
• Place sugar, egg yolks, salt, Amaretto, vanilla flavor, almond flavor, and almond paste in another bowl, mix well.
• Mix the Half& Half with egg yolk mixture.
• Pour mixture through a sieve.
• Pour mixture into well-buttered and sugared ceramic molds.
• Bake at 350 degrees in water bath for about 45 minutes or until set.
• Cool, unmold, and serve with fresh sliced fruit, fruit sauce, caramel sauce, or whipped cream.
• Yield: four servings.

AMARETTI CARAMEL CUSTARD

Steps:

• 1 Prepare the caramel: In a small heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. When the mixture begins to boil, stop stirring and cook until the syrup starts to brown around the edges. Then gently swirl the pan over the heat until the syrup is an even golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Protecting your hand with an oven mitt, immediately pour the caramel into an 8- or 9-inch layer cake pan. Tilt the pan to coat the bottom and part of the sides with the caramel. 2 Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place a roasting pan large enough to hold the cake pan in the center of the oven. 3 Prepare the custard: In a large heavy saucepan, heat the milk over low heat until small bubbles form around the edge. 4 Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar just until blended. Stir in the cocoa, cookie crumbs, rum, and vanilla. Gradually stir in the hot milk. 5 Pour the custard mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into the prepared pan. Place the pan in the center of the roasting pan. Carefully pour very hot water into the roasting pan to a depth of 1 inch. 6 Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the top is set, but the center is still slightly jiggly. (Protecting your hand with an oven mitt, shake the pan gently.) Have a wire cooling rack ready. Transfer the pan to the rack to cool for 15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours up to overnight. 7 To unmold, run a small knife around the inside edge of the pan. Invert the custard onto a serving plate. Cut into slices to serve immediately. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

CHOCOLATE-AMARETTI CUSTARD WITH FRESH FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until deep amber color, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes. Carefully pour caramel into 5-cup ring mold. Using pastry brush, quickly brush caramel up sides of mold. Cool.
• Whisk 1 cup milk and cocoa in large bowl until cocoa dissolves. Whisk in remaining 2 cups milk, 2/3 cup sugar, rum, egg yolks and eggs. Stir in amaretti cookies. Pour custard into caramel-lined mold.
• Place mold in large roasting pan. Add enough warm water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of mold. Cover pan and ring mold with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until crust forms on top of custard and center 1 inch still moves when mold is gently shaken, about 35 minutes (do not overbake or custard will curdle). Transfer mold to rack and cool completely. Cover and chill overnight.
• Using small sharp knife, cut oranges between membranes to release segments. Run knife around sides of mold. Place plate atop mold. Invert custard onto plate, shaking gently to loosen and letting caramel run over custard. Remove mold. Arrange fruit in center of custard.

BAKE-AHEAD CARAMEL CUSTARDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set a kettle of water to boil.
• Make caramel: In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Cook over medium-high, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook, without stirring, until syrup turns golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully add half-and-half (mixture may clump and sputter); simmer, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla, and salt until pale yellow and thick. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, gradually add caramel. Skim any foam from surface of custard mixture.
• Divide mixture among six 6-ounce ramekins or custard cups. Line a baking pan (just large enough to hold ramekins) with a dish towel; place ramekins on dish towel. Transfer to oven, and pour enough boiling water into pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins; cover pan loosely with foil.
• Bake custards just until set but slightly wobbly, 40 to 45 minutes. Carefully remove ramekins from pan. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours (or, covered, up to 3 days). Garnish with toffee before serving.

CARAMEL CUSTARD

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, cook and stir 3/4 cup sugar over low heat until sugar is melted and golden. Pour into eight 6-oz. custard cups, tilting to coat bottom of cup; let stand for 10 minutes. , In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, vanilla and remaining sugar until blended but not foamy. Pour over caramelized sugar. , Place the cups in two 8-in. square baking pans. Pour very hot water in pans to a depth of 1 in. Bake at 350° until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks. , To unmold, run a knife around rim of cup and invert onto dessert place. Serve warm or chilled.

ADULTS-ONLY AMARETTI CRUNCH DESSERT

Steps:

• Reserve 6 raspberries for garnish. Place remaining raspberries in a saucepan and add 2 tablespoons sugar, water, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until raspberries break down, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain through a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl to remove seeds and reserve raspberry sauce.
• Combine amaretto liqueur, heavy cream, and remaining sugar in a mixing bowl. Whip until soft peaks form. Add mascarpone cheese and blend thoroughly.
• Place 1 or 2 tablespoons crushed amaretti in the bottom of a serving glass. Add whipped mascarpone mixture and a layer of raspberry sauce. Repeat layers and top with 1 reserved raspberry and 1 whole amaretti cookie. Repeat with remaining ingredients.