Biscuit Tortoni featured in Wine and Died in New Orleans by Ellen Byron

 

The following recipe was featured in the Great Escapes Book Tour click Here

Biscuit Tortoni

Serves 6

Recipe adapted from the Adventures in Wine Cookery (1965; by California Winemakers). The Wine Advisory Board of California appears to have been an organization dedicated to promoting the state's burgeoning wine industry. According to Ellen Byron, her research has failed to turn up anything about them besides the cookbooks they published like Adventures in Wine Cookery. This particular cookbook offers a collection of recipes from vintners, family members, and employees at various Golden State wineries. What makes the recipes unique is that all incorporate a California wine in some way, like the Biscuit Tortoni.

Ingredients

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar (you can add more if you like your desserts really sweet)

2 tablespoons sweet sherry (or for a nonalcoholic version substitute 2 teaspoons of vanilla, coconut, or almond flavoring)

1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut, plus 2 tablespoons

1 stiffly beaten egg white*

1 cup cup well-crumbled macaroons

Instructions

Whip the cream until stiff. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar to incorporate, then add the sherry, and the coconut. Mix together well.

Fold in the stiffly beaten egg white, followed by the crumbled macaroons.

Chill for several hours.

To serve, divide into six dessert cups and sprinkle each serving with about a scant teaspoon of shredded coconut.

Cinnamon & Sugar's Notes

*Eating unpasteurized raw or undercooked eggs poses a health risk to everyone, but especially to the elderly, young children under age 4, pregnant women and other highly susceptible individuals with compromised immune systems.

If you can't find pasteurized whole eggs at the store, you can pasteurize them at home using the following method:

Place large eggs in a saucepan and fill with enough water to completely cover them. Over medium-low heat, bring the water temperature to 140 degrees (F). A digital thermometer is the most accurate way to monitor. Maintain the water temperature at 140 degrees for 3 minutes, reducing the heat on the stove if necessary. Immediately remove eggs from the hot water and submerge in a bowl of ice cold water. Store in the refrigerator if not using immediately.

Please use your discretion when eating undercooked items.

I toasted the coconut and the macaroons. Spread on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350 degrees (F) for a few minutes. Stir frequently and keep a close watch since coconut can begin scorching quickly. Remove coconut from baking sheet to stop the toasting, and cool on a plate before using.