Bonet alla piemontese, crème caramel with amarettini

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 4 eggs
• 100 g sugar
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 200 g biscuits (amaretti)
• 1 cup of espresso, optional, a must for me
• 2 tbsp rum or Marsala, optional
• 1 orange(s), organic, optional
• 500 ml milk, 3.8% fat

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Rest period approx. 1 day; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 day 1 hour 20 minutes

delicious triad of caramel, cocoa and coffee, typical of the Piedmontese region of Langhe

Crumble the amaretti (this works best in a freezer bag and with a rolling pin). Bring the milk to a boil. Beat the eggs with a quarter of the sugar until frothy. Combine the cocoa, amaretti crumbs, espresso, rum/Marsala, and orange zest. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Pour the milk over the amaretti mixture and fold in the beaten egg mixture. Mix the remaining sugar with a little water and bring to a gentle simmer. Melt the sugar and caramelize until golden brown. Fill dessert molds with the caramel, pour in the cocoa-amaretti mixture, and place the molds in a bain-marie. Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes, then for another 30-40 minutes at 160°C. Remove from the oven, let cool, and then refrigerate. Let stand overnight, or even better, for 2-4 days, to allow the flavor to develop fully. Turn out before serving. It goes very well with semi-whipped cream or orange segments. And amaretti biscuits, of course! For me, bonet is Piedmont’s finest dessert, even better than panna cotta. It’s ideally enjoyed in autumn and winter. The recipe dates back to the 13th century, when it was served at noble courts. Originally, bonet didn’t contain cocoa powder, as Europeans hadn’t yet discovered America.