Italian Desserts, Interpreted by FH55 Chefs
Across the restaurants of FH55 Hotels, dessert becomes a way of telling different stories of taste, memory and creativity. Three chefs, three distinct culinary identities, and three recipes that reflect the character of each destination: from the hills of Fiesole to Florence and Rome.
Neapolitan pastiera
Ricotta mousse with Amarena cherries and vanilla crunch
Neapolitan Pastiera
The journey begins at FH55 Hotel Villa Fiesole, where Chef Antonello Sardi, at the Michelin-starred Serrae Villa Fiesole, shares his interpretation of Neapolitan pastiera: a dessert deeply rooted in Italian tradition, reimagined with elegance and precision.
Ingredients
Filling:
2 ½ cups (580 g) cooked wheat, blended
2 cups (500 g) sheep’s milk ricotta
1 cup (250 ml) milk
1 ⅔ cups (320 g) granulated sugar
6 large pasteurized egg yolks (≈120 g)
½ cup (70 g) candied orange peel
Orange blossom essence
Zest of 1 lemon
Pinch of cinnamon
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortcrust Pastry:
1 ⅔ cups (375 g) softened butter, cubed
1 cup + 2 Tbsp (200 g) powdered sugar
5 large egg yolks (≈100 g)
4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour
1 vanilla bean
Zest of 1 orange
Preparation:
For the Filling:
Pass the ricotta through a sieve and mix thoroughly with the sugar.
In a small saucepan, heat the milk to 104°F (40°C) and add the cooked wheat; purée with an immersion blender for a few minutes to achieve a velvety, creamy consistency.
Gradually incorporate the egg yolks one at a time into the ricotta mixture, stirring constantly, and finally fold in the puréed wheat, lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, candied orange peel, and orange blossom essence.
For the Shortcrust Pastry:
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the powdered sugar, vanilla seeds, and orange zest until fluffy and homogenous.
Add the egg yolks gradually and mix for a few more minutes. Sift in the flour and gently combine. Form the dough into a disc or block, and let rest in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. Then roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper.
To Bake:
Butter a tart pan and line it with the rolled shortcrust pastry, then pour in the filling inside.
Decorate the top with strips of shortcrust pastry.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 40 minutes.
Allow the tart to cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar and serving.
Italian Tiramisù
At FH55 Grand Hotel Mediterraneo, Chef Fabrizio Renna reinterprets one of Italy’s most iconic desserts through his classic tiramisù, built on precision, lightness and layered flavour.
Ingredients:
2 cups Mascarpone Cheese
5 Large Pasteurized Egg Yolks
⅓ cup + 1 tbsp Granulated Sugar
⅓ cup Double Cream
8 Large Egg Whites
¾ cup + 2 tbsp Granulated Sugar
8 Large Egg Yolks
½ cup + 1 tbsp Cornstarch
¾ cup Cake Flour
Powdered Sugar as needed
⅔ cup Espresso Coffee
¾ cup + 2 tbsp Granulated Sugar
6 tbsp Dark Cocoa Powder
Preparation Method:
Tiramisù Cream
Put the sugar and egg yolk in the planetary mixer.
Whisk on medium speed until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Add the Mascarpone and mix on low speed with the eggs.
Slowly incorporate the cream, increasing to medium speed.
When the mixture is whipped and remains attached to the whisk, insert into a piping bag with a smooth tip.
Savoiardi/Ladyfinger
Whip the egg whites and sugar into a soft meringue. Slowly add the egg yolks then the cornstarch and flour. Mix until well combined.
Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a ½ inch round plain tip.
Pipe the dough into the shape of ladyfingers. You will need at least 15 ladyfingers, but it's good to have a few more than you need.
With a pencil, trace your cake ring onto a sheet of parchment paper. Use the rest of the dough to pipe a spiral starting from the center of the circle towards the edge to create a disc for the bottom layer. Dust the ladyfingers and bottom layer with icing/powdered sugar.
Bake at 170°C/340°F for 14 minutes.
Assembly
Soak the ladyfingers in coffee and arrange them in a container as desired.
With a piping bag, place a layer of cream on the ladyfingers.
Make another layer of ladyfingers soaked and a layer of cream.
Let it rest for at least 2 hours before serving.
Before serving, sprinkle with cocoa.
Sweet ricotta mousse with Amarena cherries and vanilla crunch
At FH55 Grand Hotel Palatino, Chef Giuseppe Mulargia presents a refined ricotta mousse with Amarena cherries and vanilla crunch, where delicate textures meet a vibrant balance of sweetness and freshness.
Ingredients for 2 people
Ricotta mousse:
4.2 oz cow’s milk ricotta (about ½ cup)
3 tbsp fresh cream
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1 sheet gelatin
Amarena cherry insert:
½ cup (4.2 oz) Amarena cherries in syrup
3 tbsp + 2 tsp sugar
½ gelatin sheet
Vanilla crunch:
3½ tbsp butter
2 tbsp brown sugar
½ vanilla bean
1 tbsp flour
Preparation:
Ricotta mousse:
Start by soaking the gelatin in a bowl of room-temperature water to hydrate it.
Using a stand mixer, whip the ricotta with the powdered sugar until you obtain a light and fluffy mixture.
In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the cream and add the sheet gelatin, stirring until the gelatin has completely dissolved. After a few minutes, gradually fold the cream mixture into the ricotta mixture using a whisk, mixing delicately from the bottom upwards.
Amarena cherry insert:
Prepare the insert by placing the Amarena cherries in a saucepan with the sugar and half a glass of water. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the previously hydrated gelatin.
Pour the warm mixture into small molds slightly smaller than those intended for the mousse and place in a blast chiller at min. -0.4°F (-18°C) until completely frozen.
Pour the ricotta mousse into another mold of your choice and place the fully frozen cherry insert in the center. Place the molds in the blast chiller for approximately 2½ hours.
Vanilla crunch:
Prepare the crunchy base by combining the room-temperature butter, the seeds from the vanilla pod, brown sugar, and flour. Mix everything together to form a dough. Spread the mixture thinly onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 356°F (180°C) for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and, while still warm and pliable, shape as desired using kitchen tongs.
Plating:
Once the mousse is fully frozen, remove it from the molds and let it thaw in the refrigerator for about 1 hour (longer if using larger molds).
Arrange the vanilla crunch on the plate and place the mousse on top. Finish with a few Amarena cherries and a light drizzle of their syrup for garnish.
Useful Tips:
If you do not have a blast chiller, prepare the Amarena cherry insert first before making the mousse.
Ensure both the cherry insert and the ricotta mousse are thoroughly frozen before unmolding to preserve a clean, defined shape.
If possible, use silicone molds, as they make it much easier to unmold the dessert once frozen.
A small selection of recipes designed not only to be tasted, but also to bring a part of the FH55 experience into your own kitchen.
