This is one of the classic, home-made desserts you might be served if invited over for pranzo (lunch) or dinner in many parts of Italy: a bit more refined than a simple crostata, but not as complicated (or expensive) as tiramisu’. Think of it as equivalent, on the elegance scale, to a home-baked pie — and, like a pie, Zuppa Inglese can be endlessly refined and tweaked subject to one’s taste and fancy. It is also a popular gelato flavor.
Wikipedia reports that recipies for this dessert first appeared in towns of the Emiglia-Romagna region, north of Umbria and Tuscany, in the late 19th century. “Zuppa” — literally “soup”– comes from the Italian word “inzuppare,” meaning “to dunk,” and in fact to make this dish cookies are dunked in a liquor, traditionally Alchermes but sometimes Cognac or Grand Marnier. According to one theory, “Inglese” originates from efforts to re-create the delicious “English Trifle” that Italian nobles allegedly enjoyed when traveling to England, a major trading partner, in the 16th and 17th centuries.
The basic Zuppa Inglese layers (1) ladyfingers that have been quickly dunked in (or basted with) Alchermes ; (2) a fragrant cooked custard (crema) flavored with lemon rind and vanilla; and (3) a layer of crema flavored with chocolate. Optional toppings range from a layer of dusted cocoa or shaved dark chocolate, to whipped cream, to piped curlicues made with a mixture of left-over crema and Nutella (my favorite!).
Alchermes, a slightly bitter, brilliant red aromatic liqueur, is almost impossible to find outside Italy. Here, we substitute a mixture of liquors and Bing cherry juice. However, many households leave out the liquor altogether (you can make this with just cherry juice, perhaps with a dash of bitters for more authenticity) and the zuppa is delicious either way.
