Little Corner Restaurant Cake

1 c Unsalted butter
1 c Whipping cream
2 oz Semisweet chocolate,
Chopped
1/4 c Rum
1 1/2 c Chopped walnuts
9 Blanched almonds

A rich, luscious dessert from the famous Il Cantoncino Restaurante in
Bologona. Prepare Sponge Cake. Prepare Custard Cream. Prepare Coffee
Zabaglione. Cream butter in a large bowl until pale and fluffy.
Gradually add cooled zabaglione to butter, beating vigorously after
each addition. Refrigerate mixture 2 to 3 minutes to stiffen
slightly. Whip cream and refrigerate. Preheat oven to 200F (95C). Put
chocolate into a small ovenproof bowl and place in oven until
chocolate has melted, 4 to 5 minutes. Cut cake into 2 layers.
Sprinkle rum over 2 cut surfaces of cake. Spread 1 layer with Custard
Cream. Top with second layer. Spread zabaglione mixture evenly over
top of cake. Hold cake in 1 hand and spread zabaglione mixture around
sides of cake. Gently press walnuts onto sides of cake. Put whipped
cream into a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tube. Pipe a cream
border around edge of cake. Decorate center of cake with 9 cream
rosettes. Dip almonds into melted chocolate and place on top of
rosettes. Refrigerate cake until serving. Cake can be prepared up to
24 hours ahead. Let cake stand 30 minutes at room temperature before
serving. SPONGE CAKE: Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Butter and flour a
10-inch cake pan with a removable bottom; shake off excess flour.
Melt butter in a small saucepan; cool slightly. Put eggs, sugar and
vanilla in a large bowl. Set bowl in a larger one containing hot
water or use a double boiler off the heat. Beat at high speed 10 to
12 minutes or until mixture is pale and thick and has tripled in
volume. Sift flour over batter in several batches, gently folding in
with a spatula after each addition. Gradually add cooled butter,
folding gently until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Cook 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of
cake comes out dry. Cool cake in pan 20 to 30 minutes, then transfer
to a rack. Cake can be prepared 1 or 2 days ahead, covered with
plastic wrap and stored at room temperature. CUSTARD CREAM: In a
medium saucepan, bring milk just to a boil. Put egg yolks, sugar and
vanilla into a medium bowl. Beat 2 to 3 minutes until mixture is pale
and thick. Gradually beat in flour. Very slowly stir half the hot
milk into yolk mixture. Pour mixture into pan containing remaining
hot milk. Whisk over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes or until custard has
a medium-thick consistency. Do not let mixture boil. Place custard in
bowl. Cover and refrigerate. COFFEE ZABAGLIONE: In a large bowl or
the top part of a double boiler, beat egg yolk and sugar until pale
and thick. Set bowl or top part of double boiler over simmering
water; do not let water boil. Gradually add coffee, beating
constantly. Continue beating until zabaglione has doubled in volume
and is soft and fluffy, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and set pan
or bowl over a bowl full of ice water. Stir with a whisk until
mixture has cooled. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Yields
10 Servings