Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites by Giada de Laurentiis Page B

becoming the favorite of my audience, too. Italian desserts are generally unpretentious, simple to make, and equally easy to fall in love with. What’s not to adore about little doughnuts dipped in chocolate sauce? The mixture of chocolate and orange makes them heavenly, and I don’t know many people who can resist a warm, sweet doughnut. Creamy Strawberry and Mascarpone Granita is a light but creamy icy dessert and almost all the prep time is in the freezing. From a lemony semifreddo topped with cookie crumbs to a showstopper of a cake with a shortcut secret, these sweet surprises will end any meal on a high note and send your guests home with smiles on their faces.
     

     

    I love the flavor of granitas but the texture is usually quite granular and icy; the mascarpone smoothes this version out so it is more like a sherbet. Don’t scrape it until just before you serve it, as it will melt and look less appetizing.
    4 to 6 servings
    ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
    ½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
    2 cups coarsely chopped strawberries, plus 1 cup finely diced strawberries
    ½ cup mascarpone cheese
    3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
    Pinch of salt
    Place ½ cup of the sugar and the mint in a small pan with 1 cup of water and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar. Let simmer over low heat for 5 minutes to steep the mint. Then strain the mint from the simple syrup. Discard the mint.
    In a food processor, combine the 2 cups of coarsely chopped strawberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Run the machine to purée the strawberries. Add the mascarpone, lemon juice, and salt and process until the mascarpone is fully incorporated. Add the mint syrup and combine. Pour the strawberry mixture into an 8 × 8-inch glass dish, cover the dish with plastic wrap, and place in the freezer. The mixture will take about 4 hours to freeze.
    To serve, use a fork to scrape the granita. Spoon the mixture into chilled bowls. Top with the finely diced strawberries. Serve immediately.

     

     

    This is the chocolate lover’s answer to panna cotta. It’s quite similar to a mousse but the gelatin makes it a bit firmer.
    4 to 6 servings
    2 cups cold whole milk
    1 cup granulated sugar
    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    1 packet unflavored gelatin
    4 eggs, lightly beaten
    1 (12-ounce) bag bittersweet chocolate chips
    ¼ cup toasted sliced almonds (see Note)
    1 cup whipping cream
    1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
    1 tablespoon almond liqueur such as Amaretto
    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish.
    In a small saucepan, combine 1½ cups of the milk, the granulated sugar, and the vanilla. Bring to a simmer and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat.
    In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the remaining ½ cup of cold milk and let it dissolve for 2 minutes. Combine the cold milk and gelatin with the hot milk and sugar. Stir to dissolve the gelatin, about 5 minutes. (Heat the milk gently if the gelatin is not dissolving easily.) When the gelatin is dissolved, combine the eggs with the warm milk mixture, whisking constantly to avoid scrambling the eggs. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large measuring cup or small pitcher.
    Meanwhile, melt the chocolate over simmering water in a double boiler. When the chocolate is melted, gradually combine the milk and egg mixture with the melted chocolate, stirring between each addition to create a smooth chocolate mixture.
    Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the top with the almonds. Place the casserole dish in a larger baking pan or roasting pan and add hot water to the larger pan until the water comes halfway up the sides of the casserole dish. Place both pans in the oven and bake the panna cotta until the sides are firm and the center just jiggles slightly, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes.
    Just before serving, whip the cream to soft peaks in a medium