Italian Pudding Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter six 3/4-cup custard cups or ramekins. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolks, flour, lemon juice, and lemon peel in large bowl; whisk until well blended. Whisk in milk.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt in medium bowl until frothy. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until soft peaks form. Fold beaten egg whites into lemon mixture in 2 additions. Divide mixture among prepared custard cups. Place custard cups in roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of custard cups. Bake puddings until tops are golden and spring back when lightly touched, about 30 minutes. Remove cups from water. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream, if desired.

Steps:

• Slice the dried apricots. If you're using unsulfured apricots, soak them in warm water for 20 minutes to plump them up before slicing.
• Using an electric beater, whip the ricotta cheese until smooth.
• Mix in the vanilla and raspberry preserves.
• Fold in the fruits and nuts.
• Add in the whipped cream not more than 2 hours before you intend to serve. Fold in the whipped cream and serve.

Steps:

• Line a 9 inch pie plate with plastic wrap, leaving a few inches overhang on all edges.
• Whisk the eggs with the sugar in a large bowl, adding the cornstarch whisking until no lumps remain.
• In a medium saucepan, add the cream and milk and simmer over low heat for a couple of minutes. Turn off the heat and slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot milk-cream into the egg bowl, whisking steadily, to temper the eggs. When blended, slowly pour the tempered eggs back into the saucepan of milk and cream, again whisking constantly.
• Put the pan back over medium-low heat, and whisk steadily until the custard heats and thickens. Don't let it boil, though it should bubble occasionally. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, until it is quite thick.
• Remove from the heat, and stir in the crumbled biscotti, chopped chocolate, nuts, and cocoa powder. Stir continuously until the chocolate has melted and all the ingredients are evenly blended. Pour the custard into the pie plate, and cover with plastic wrap, laying it directly on the top of the pudding. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• To serve: Remove the top sheet of plastic, invert onto a serving plate, and cut into wedges. Top with unsweetened whipped cream and coarsely crumbled biscotti (if you have any left) or crushed hazelnuts; in season, strawberries or raspberries would be wonderful.

Steps:

• Sprinkle gelatine over 1/2 cup of the half-and-half in medium saucepan. Let stand 5 min. Stir in remaining 1 cup half-and-half, the granular sweetener and vanilla. Cook on low heat until gelatine is completely dissolved, stirring frequently. (Do not boil.)
• Pour gelatine mixture into blender or food processor. Add ricotta cheese; cover. Blend until pureed. Pour evenly into eight 6-oz. custard cups or souffle dishes. Refrigerate 2 hours or until set.
• Microwave jam in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 15 sec. just before serving. Spoon 1/2 tsp. of the jam over each dessert. Store leftover desserts in refrigerator.