Bonet: the recipe for the typical dessert of the Piedmontese tradition

He cap is a creamy and irresistible spoon dessert, originating from the Langhe. It is a typical Piedmont pastry specialty made with milk, eggs, fresh cream, crushed amaretti biscuits, bitter cocoa powder and sugar, ideal to serve as a merry end of meal for a special occasion or enjoy for a snack refined, with a cup of steaming brew.

For an impeccable result, once the ingredients indicated are mixed, simply pour them into a special bowl, on a delicious layer of homemade caramel, then bake everything in the oven at water bath. In this way, the heat will gently spread through the walls of the mould, allowing the mixture of milk and eggs to harden perfectly without coagulating: the result will be a soft pudding with a slightly caramelized surface, to be enjoyed by the spoonful in company of the whole family.

THE Amaretti Cookies, crumbled in the dough and placed as a garnish, they will give the preparation a unique and unmistakable aroma. If you wish, to accentuate the aroma even more, you can add 2 tablespoons of liqueur to the amaretto, as we did, or you can replace it with rum or a small glass of juice. orange, for an alcohol-free version.

To cook the caramel the sugar has been dissolved in the water which, by evaporating during cooking, will give a perfectly fluid sauce: a method also suitable for beginners and simpler than the dry method, which consists of pouring the sugar directly into a saucepan then to monitor the temperature with a cooking thermometer.

At the time of unmold to avoid unpleasant surprises, we suggest that you let the entremets cool for a few minutes then pass the bottom of the mold over the flame of the stove: this way the caramel will soften and the pudding will come off in an instant.

An ancestral recipe, that of the bonet, difficult to date or to codify, since each family has its own version. The name probably owes it to hat ëd cousin-a or, in the local dialect, the cap kitchen: term by which we called the round mold with a truncated cone, in which we once cooked the sausage. According to other theories, however, the reference is to the hat which was worn as a sign of respect when rising from the table just before taking leave of the diners: precisely because the dessert, like the hat, “appeared” at the end. of the meal.

Find out how to prepare the bonet by following the step-by-step procedure and advice. If you liked this recipe, give Langhe cake a try.

How to prepare the bonnet

First prepare the caramel: pour the caster sugar and water into a thick-bottomed saucepan 1and allow the sugar to melt gently until smooth and viscous.

Once ready, pour the caramel into a rectangular baking dish 2 22 x 9 cm and spread it evenly on the bottom of the mold.

Separately, work the eggs with the sugar in a large bowl 3until the mixture is clear and frothy.

Add the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, and add the sifted cocoa powder 4.

Mix well with a whisk 5.

Collect the amaretti biscuits in the bowl of a blender and chop them finely 6.

Transfer them to the bowl with the cocoa mixture 7.

Amaretto liqueur flavors 8.

Add hot milk and cream 9 and pour everything into the mold with the caramel.

Place the pan in a saucepan filled with water ten and bake in a static oven at 150°C for about 1 hour. Once the time has elapsed, let the entremets cool slightly, run a blade over the edges and then invert it onto a serving plate.

Garnish the surface of the bonet with whole amaretti biscuits, cut it into slices 11 and serve.

storage

The bonet can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container or wrapped in a sheet of transparent film, to 2 days massive.