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1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 cup half-and-half

3 large egg yolks

1 large whole egg

1 cup hot strong coffee

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. In a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the chocolate, half-and-half, egg yolks, and egg; whisk until the chocolate is melted, about 3 minutes. Slowly add the coffee, whisking constantly.

2. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in the butter. Place the bowl in the ice bath; stir occasionally until the mixture is cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 day.

zabaglione

SERVES 4

4 large egg yolks

¼ cup sugar

½ cup sweet Marsala wine

Black Pepper Cookies, for serving (recipe follows)

1. Whisk the yolks and sugar in a medium glass bowl until creamy, about 5 minutes.

2. Set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Add the Marsala; whisk until the mixture almost doubles in volume, about 15 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Serve with black pepper cookies.

NOTE The eggs in this dish are not fully cooked; it should not be prepared for pregnant women, babies, young children, the elderly, or anyone whose health is compromised.

black pepper cookies

MAKES ABOUT 2½ DOZEN

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

2 large egg whites, room temperature

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the center. Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; cream on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla and salt. Beat in the egg whites until incorporated. Combine the flour and pepper in a small bowl; add to the butter mixture in 3 batches, mixing until just combined.

2. Put the dough in a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch round tip (such as Ateco #804). Pipe 3-inch strips, about ½ inch apart, on a parchment-lined baking sheet, keeping the tip close to the sheet for thin cookies. Bake until the edges are golden and the centers are set, about 7 minutes. Let cool on the sheet 5 minutes before transferring with a spatula to a wire rack to cool completely.

zuppa inglese

SERVES 6 TO 8

This recipe can be doubled or tripled.

8 ounces store-bought crisp ladyfingers (about 26 cookies)

½ cup Italian dessert wine, preferably vin santo

Crema Pasticcera (recipe follows)

Salsa di Cioccolato (recipe follows)

Arrange half the ladyfingers in the bottom of an 8-inch-square serving dish. Drizzle with half the wine. Spread 1½ cups pastry cream on top. Drizzle ½ cup chocolate sauce over the cream. Repeat, adding another layer each of ladyfingers, wine, pastry cream, and chocolate sauce. Refrigerate, covered, 1 to 4 hours.

crema pasticcera

MAKES 3 CUPS

2 cups whole milk

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1 large egg plus 2 large egg yolks

1 cup sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Stir together the milk and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring, just until small bubbles appear at the edges. Remove the pan from the heat.

2. Put the egg and yolks and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until pale, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to low. Add the flour and vanilla. Beat until just combined. Beat in the hot milk mixture. Raise the speed to high; beat 1 minute more. Transfer the pastry cream to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Transfer the warm pastry cream to a bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours, or up to 1 day.

salsa di cioccolato

MAKES 1 CUP

2½ ounces good-quality unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

2½ tablespoons good-quality Dutch-process