zuppa inglese
{{Short description|Italian dessert}}
{{About|the dessert|the building in Rome colloquially named after the dessert|Victor Emmanuel II Monument}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Zuppa inglese
| image = 3 Zuppa inglese.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| alternate_name =
| country = Italy
| region = {{plainlist|
}}
| creator =
| course = Dessert
| type =
| served =
| main_ingredient = Sponge cake or savoiardi, alchermes, custard
| variations =
}}
Zuppa inglese ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|z|uː|p|ə|_|ɪ|ŋ|ˈ|ɡ|l|eɪ|z|eɪ|,_|ˈ|s|uː|-}} {{respell|ZOO|pə|_|ing|GLAY|zay|,_|SOO|-}}, {{IPA|it|ˈtsuppa iŋˈɡleːse|lang}}; {{literally|English soup}}) is an Italian dessert with layers of custard and sponge cake dipped in liqueur, perhaps derived from trifle.
Name and history
The word {{lang|it|zuppa}} ({{literally|soup}}) in Italian cuisine refers to both sweet and savory dishes. It has a derivative in the verb {{lang|it|inzuppare}}, which means 'to dunk'; as the sponge cake or ladyfingers are dipped in liqueur, the dish is called {{lang|it|zuppa}}. Similarly, thick bean with vegetable stews and fish or shellfish stews are properly described as {{lang|it|zuppa di verdure}} and {{lang|it|zuppa di pesce}}, respectively.
There are other theories as to the origin of the name:{{cite web |url=http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodfaq1.html#zuppa |title=FAQs: charlotte to millet |work=The Food Timeline |first=Lynne |last=Olver |author-link=Lynne Olver |access-date=June 8, 2015}}
The name translates literally in Italian as English soup and may in fact connote its similarity to English trifle. Others believe it is a dialectical corruption of the verb {{lang|it|inzuppare}}, meaning 'to sop'.Mariani, John. Dictionary of Italian Food and Drink. New York: Broadway Books, 1998 (p. 286).
A dessert invented by Neapolitan pastrycooks of Europe during the 19th century. Inspired by English puddings that were fashionable at the time, ...Larousse Gastronomique, Completely Updated and Revised. New York: Clarkson Potter, 2001 (p. 1310).
This rich dessert was among the many tributes bestowed on Lord Nelson by the grateful Neapolitans after his victory over Napoleon in the Nile in 1798. "English soup", as it was called, was the creation of an anonymous pastry cook smitten with the admiral, the English, and their spirit-soaked trifles.American Heritage. The Horizon Cookbook and Illustrated History of Eating and Drinking through the Ages, New York: Doubleday, 1968 (p. 710).
The actual origins of zuppa inglese are uncertain. One theory states that it originated in the 16th-century kitchens of the Dukes of Este, the rulers of Ferrara. According to this story, they asked their cooks to recreate the sumptuous "English trifle" they had enjoyed in England at the Elizabethan court, where they were frequent visitors.{{cite web|title=Zuppa Inglese (Traditional Italian Pudding)|url=http://www.academiabarilla.com/italian-recipes/regione-emilia-romagna/zuppa-inglese-traditional-italian-pudding.aspx|publisher=Academia Barilla|access-date=28 May 2016|quote=Zuppa inglese was made for the first time in the 16th century for Dukes of Este, residing in Ferrara. Legend has it that the dessert was created by the court chefs when a diplomat from Ferrara asked for a trifle, a typical British dessert made with a sweet ring cake, cream and wine, after returning from a trip to England.}} However, no recipes for the dish are recorded before the late 19th century, when it appears in cookbooks from Emilia-Romagna, Latium, Marche, and Umbria regions.La Cucina del Bel Paese (883-885). [https://books.google.com/books?id=M_vYmUgN3e0C&q=+zuppa+inglese&pg=PA903 La cucina del Bel Paese].Gladys Gretton, The Englishwoman in Italy, Hurst and Blackett, 1860 ([https://books.google.com/books?id=KDUBAAAAQAAJ&q=zuppa page 163]).
Description
To make zuppa inglese, either sponge cake or ladyfingers are dipped in alchermes, a bright red, extremely aromatic Italian herb liqueur. They are then alternated with layers of {{lang|it|crema pasticciera}}, a thick egg custard cooked with a large piece of lemon zest (removed afterwards). Often, a layer of {{lang|it|crema al cioccolato}} is created by dissolving dark chocolate in a plain {{lang|it|crema pasticciera}}. In Italy it is occasionally topped with cream, meringue or almonds.
Zuppa inglese is also a popular gelato flavor.{{cite web|title=Gelato Zuppa Inglese|url=http://gelatoincasa.org/gelato-zuppa-inglese/|website=Gelato in casa|access-date=28 May 2016}}
See also
{{Commons category-inline}}
{{Portal|Italy|Food}}