Zuppa inglese

Don’t be fooled by the name – this is neither a soup nor is it English. It’s an Italian trifle-like dessert whose origins are somewhat debated, though they seem to trace back to eighteenth-century Parma. There, at the court of Queen Maria Luisa, the in-house chef devised a layered dessert of sponge cake or ladyfingers dipped in rum (the drink of choice of English sailors at the time, hence the name of the dish) and alternated them with cream, jam and dried fruit. In time, the recipe took on various twists and turns, until it became what it is today: a so-called dolce al cucchiaio (a dessert you eat with a spoon) where biscuits are plunged into bright-pink Alchermes liqueur and layered with custard cream and chocolate pudding.

You can make your zuppa inglese in a traditional trifle glass bowl to increase the vintage appeal of this dessert. Alternatively, you can prep it in a square glass dish, or in single-serving cups or glasses. If you can’t find Alchermes, opt for brandy mixed with pomegranate juice to preserve part of the colour, or skip the booze altogether for a version suited to all ages.