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Cold Zabaglione with Red Wine

Use the ingredients of the basic recipe above, substituting 1 cup dry red wine for the ½ cup Marsala. Ideally, the red wine should be Barolo; it would be almost as ideal if it were Barbaresco, but you could substitute other reds with full flavor, such as a Tuscan all-Sangiovese, a good Valpolicella, or even a California Zinfandel, or a Cote du Rhone.

Make the zabaglione following the instructions in the preceding recipe. Spoon it into individual serving cups and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours before serving.

Italian Chocolate Mousse

For 6 servings

A double boiler

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped fine

4 eggs (see warning about salmonella)

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

¼ cup strong espresso coffee

2 tablespoons dark rum

A mixing bowl kept in the freezer

⅔ cup very cold heavy whipping cream

1. Put water in the bottom of the double boiler, bring it to a gentle, but steady simmer, set the top of the double boiler over it, and put the chopped chocolate in to melt.

2. Separate the eggs, put the yolks in a bowl together with the sugar, and beat them until they become pale yellow and creamy. Add the melted chocolate, coffee, and rum, and mix them in with a spatula until the ingredients are uniformly combined.

3. Take the bowl out of the freezer, put in the cream, beat it with a whisk until it stiffens, then fold it into the chocolate and egg yolk mixture.

4. Put the egg whites into a bowl, whip them until they form stiff peaks, then fold them gently, but thoroughly into the chocolate mixture.

5. Spoon the mousse into 6 individual serving cups or goblets, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. It can be kept even 3 or 4 days, but after the first 24 hours it may wrinkle and lose some of its creamy consistency.

Ricotta and Coffee Cream

THIS INTRIGUINGLY good combination of ricotta, rum, and coffee may be the easiest dessert I have ever learned to make. It can all be done in less than 3 seconds in the food processor or, for a firmer consistency, by beating the mixture with 2 forks held in one hand. Please note that the cream needs to set in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

For 6 servings

1½ pounds fresh ricotta

⅔ cup granulated sugar

5 tablespoons dark rum

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons very strong espresso coffee

Garnish: 36 espresso coffee beans

1. Put the ricotta, sugar, rum, and coffee into the food processor and process to a creamy consistency.

2. Pour the mixture into 6 individual glass dessert coupes, and store in the refrigerator overnight.

3. Just before serving, arrange 6 fresh, crisp coffee beans in a circular or other pleasing pattern over the cream. Serve cold.

Note Do not refrigerate with the beans or they will become soggy.

Crema Fritta—Fried Custard Cream

ALTHOUGH crema fritta makes a fine sweet morsel with which to end a meal, it is also served in Italy alongside breaded meats, such as veal cutlets, liver, or lamb chops. It is a classic component of a large fritto misto, the Bolognese mixed fry in which you would find not only several breaded fried meats, but vegetables, cheese, and fruit.

The custard for crema fritta must be made with more flour than the one that goes with zuppa inglese, otherwise it would be too soft for frying. To blend in the flour evenly and smoothly, you must cook it over very slow heat and stir virtually without interruption the entire time. But it can be conveniently prepared earlier in the day for that evening, or even a day in advance.

For 6 servings

2 eggs plus 1 egg for breading the cream

A double boiler

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup flour

2 cups milk

2 small strips lemon peel with none of the white pith beneath

Fine, dry, unflavored bread crumbs, spread on a plate

Vegetable oil

1. Off heat, break 2 eggs into the top of the double boiler, add the sugar, and beat the eggs until they are evenly blended and the sugar has dissolved almost completely. Mix in the flour, 1 tablespoon at a time,