# Italian Dessert.



## jessiquina (Nov 4, 2005)

My mother wants me to make an Italian Custard that my grandma used to make. She calls it Galema, but is unsure thats the real name for it. has anybody heard of it, or have a recipe? -they dont teach this stuff in pastry school!


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## nofifi (Jan 14, 2007)

I think you're wanting Bianco Mangiara. It's an Italian cake with a custard like filling. Here's the recipe:

FOR THE CAKE:
7 tbsp. all-purpose flour
7 tbsp. cake flour
4 eggs
1 egg white
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

FOR THE FILLING:


SAVEUR
6 tbsp. confectioners' sugar
2 1/2 cups ricotta
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/3 cup candied fruit, chopped
1 1/2 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

FOR THE ICING:
1 recipe ganache 
1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped

1. For the cake: Preheat oven to 425°. Butter an 8'' round cake pan and line the bottom with buttered parchment paper. Sift flours together into a small bowl and set aside. Put 1 whole egg and yolks of 3 eggs in the bowl of a standing mixer, reserving whites in a separate mixing bowl along with 1 egg white. Add sugar and vanilla to yolks and beat at medium speed until 
SAVEUR
pale and fluffy, about 8 minutes. Set aside. 

2. Put egg whites in the clean bowl of a standing mixer and whisk on medium-low speed until frothy, about 2 minutes. Add cream of tartar, increase speed to medium-high, and continue whisking until stiff peaks form, 2-3 minutes. Carefully fold one-third of the whites into yolk mixture with a rubber spatula, then fold in remaining whites. Sift about a quarter of the flour over egg mixture, then gently fold it in. Continue to sift and fold until flour is incorporated. Pour into prepared pan and place in oven. Lower heat to 325° and bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then unmold, peel off parchment paper, and cool on a rack.

3. For the filling: Put sugar, ricotta, and cinnamon in a food processor and purée until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours. Fold in candied fruit and chocolate, then refrigerate.

SAVEUR

4. To assemble: Split cooled cake into 2 layers. Place bottom layer on a cake plate, then spread with half the filling. Place second layer on filling and frost sides with ganache. Spread top with remaining filling and press almonds into sides of cake.


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## jessiquina (Nov 4, 2005)

not quite, but let me tell you how she described it.. custard on top of coffee soaked lady fingers.. not tiramisu.. just wondering if Galema is the actual name.. :crazy:


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## nofifi (Jan 14, 2007)

Is your family Northern or Southern Italian, makes a difference, looking now for the recipe. I'm Sicilian.


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## nofifi (Jan 14, 2007)

The closest I came to what she's describing is Tiramisu but I still think I have another recipe, maybe it is Galama (maybe Galamia?) I'll keep searching my handwritten (by my Nana, aunts, etc, lol) and send it as soon as I find it. Is this Tiramisu even close?????

30 Italian ladyfingers, divided 

2 1/2 C. strong warm espresso 

2 ounces chopped chocolate, divided 

Unsweetened cocoa, for dusting 

6 egg yolks

3/4 C. sugar 

1 1/4 lbs. mascarpone cheese 

2 C. heavy cream 

1/3 C. sugar 

1 1/2 T. dark rum 

Dip the first 18 ladyfingers in the espresso, and line the bottom of the 12 x 9 pan with them. Sprinkle half of the chopped chocolate, and add a generous dusting of the cocoa to the ladyfingers; set aside. 

Combine the yolks and 3/4 cup of sugar and mix on high with a mixer about 10 minutes. By hand, mix in the mascarpone until incorporated and relatively lump-free; set aside. 

With a mixer or by hand, whip the cream, 1/3 cup sugar and rum until stiff peaks are formed. Add the mascarpone mixture and whip again until homogeneous. 

Spread half of the egg/cheese filling on the ladyfingers in the pan. Soak the remaining ladyfingers in espresso and make a second layer (with spaces in between the ladyfingers). Sprinkle with remaining filling evenly over the ladyfingers, and lightly sprinkle with more cocoa. 

Wrap, refrigerate and chill 4 to 6 hours. Before serving, sprinkle again with a light dusting of cocoa. Slice and serve with a spoon or spatula.


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## nofifi (Jan 14, 2007)

OK, I've searched all I have. The custard (we all use the same type of custard with just a few variations) is really Bianco Mangaria. I would try this, a very simple custard (or you can use a cannoli filling with ricotta) and combine this recipe with the previous recipe I just posted. Most of these older Italians used a combination of each others recipes depending on what they had on hand or what their mothers used. My nana used to make what you're talking about and would use either pound cake, sponge cake, biscotti, or lady fingers. Sometimes she would add coffee. You may have to play with this and have your mother taste until you come up with the right combination. Try this one, it's pretty standard and simple: They usually used milk for their custards. You can omit the cherries and nuts and probably the chocolate sauce, depending on what she put in hers. I would bet the farm this is the custard type you are looking for.


1 9-in sponge cake
1/2 c Sugar
1/3 c Cornstarch
1 Quart milk
1 t Vanilla extract
1 t Cinnamon
1 c Chocolate sprinkles
1 c Chopped pecans
1/2 c Maraschino cherries,
Chopped
Chocolate sauce-optional

1. Cut cake into
1/2 in. slices. Place 1 layer in the bottom of a 9 in. cake pan. Set
aside. 2. Combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Set over medium
heat. Add milk gradually and cook, stirring, until mixture comes to a
boil and thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and cinnamon. 3.
Pour half the pudding over the sliced cake. Scatter over this half
the chocolate and half the pecans. 4. Add another layer of cake, then
rest of pudding and remaining chocolate and pecans. Top with
cherries. Refrigerate.
5. Serve cold on chilled plates with chocolate sauce, if desired.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Jess
I stopped trying to translate my Grandmothers names for her recipes. They were said so fast and a lot of different dialects, etc. it's almost a slang
Do you remember if this was something turned out onto a plate that held together?
 My family cooked somewhat peasant, although I do remember a whole grain custard that she used to make when there were left over bread type pastries that were dry.
A lot of custards are put over cake scraps, etc. She also made a type of budino sp? that she put over the dried ladyfingers or biscotti for company.
hope you find your formula.
pan


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## z~bestus (Dec 13, 2005)

JESSIQUINA:
Good moening to you. I know that recipe very very well. I make it every now & then. The southern Italians (Where my family is from) call it "CRAMMA". ("GALEMA" Close enough for a None Italian).


The more traditional name is "BLANC MANGE". Now then There are 2 versions of this ie, the French version & the English version. Very confusing I know the Italians use the English version.
Jessi my friend I hope this information helps you. If you need more info, ~E~mail me.
Good luck & have a nice day young lady.

~Z BESTUS.:chef:


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Jes
If it is what ZB suggests, use the search option for there is a very imformational post on this. Not going to help with a formula, but a great read.
It may be a couple of years old.
pan


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## jessiquina (Nov 4, 2005)

hey thanks for all the help ladies and gents.. ! i assumed there was translation issues, and i also assumed that it was something they kinda "threw together" with whatever they had leftover... thanks. i will look up the blanc mange . . :lips:


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## nofifi (Jan 14, 2007)

ZB. would you mind posting your recipe for this? Everyone who I could ask is long gone now and now I'm hungry for it, lol. I think my Nana used a vanilla bean and cin. stick in the milk, geez, it's been so long now...I would sure appreciate you taking the time to post it...thanks. It's been driving me crazy trying to remember the name for it, the ingredients, etc. I think they made up half the names just to drive the future generations nuts, lol.


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## jessiquina (Nov 4, 2005)

haha! probably!


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## z~bestus (Dec 13, 2005)

NOFIFI:
Good sunday morning to you. By now you should be back from Sunday services, which I am SURE you have attended. (LOL).
You have asked me to post to you my familys recipe for "CRAMMA".
I will post it for your benefit. This recipe lends itself to modification, you know a little more of this or a little less than that.
Some families use lady fingers as their base such as Jessi stated. My family used pound cake as a base approx. 1/2 inch thick & then they poured the pudding on top. Oh yes my friend, as you know this is a PUDDING, not a custard.

COMES NOW:

32, oz milk Divided use (you can use some half & half as an option)
sugar, 4 7/8, oz
salt (optional) 1 or 2 pinches max.
vanilla (optional) 1/8th oz.
cornstarch, 1 7/8, oz /56, grams.
4, or 5 cinnamon sticks (Depending on size)
2 medium sized lemons

Remove peel from lemons & mix into your cooking vessel along with the cinn sticks. Add approx 3 cups of the milk & begin heating. Nofifi, cook this rather slow for about 20 or more minutes... the idea is to get the flavor of the cinn sticks & the flavor of the lemon extracted into the milk. When ready, mix the remaining 1 cup of cold milk & the cornstarch & part of the sugar & salt together when it is just about to boil pour the cornstarch & milk into the pot & stir hard. Mix in the remaining sugar as well ..stir, & keep stirring, when the concoction begins to boil let it boil for an additional 25/30 seconds remove from the heat & mix in vanilla if using. 
Now pour over the cookie or cake base approx 1 inch worth over the cake. Do not cover, let a skin form, when cooled down just place in refrige. Nofifi, do not serve for at least 8, hours. Then chop up approx 4, oz of chocolate about the size of a peanut & sprinkle acrooss on top & cut & serve your portions. You can in the future employ less lemon skin & cinn sticks & perhaps add cinn powder & or lemon extract. It lends itself to modifications very well. The reason I divided the sugar this way is because as you know sugar has a tendency to burn the base of the pot... this way I do not give it a chance to. The sugar melts in a second under this hi-heat. 
I hope you will enjoy my familys dessert recipe. This was only made on Xmas day ,Easter sunday & sometimes for birthday parties only.
Good luck & have a nice day.

~ZEE. :chef:


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## nofifi (Jan 14, 2007)

Thanks so much for the recipe, basically the same as we make except that I forgot about the lemon....brings back lots of memories for me, thanks again. Going to make it as soon as I get a day off (40-50 hrs. is part time where I work, lol).


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