Retro Pudding Zabaglione

I was leafing through my Italian Cooking Encyclopedia, a rather large tome, which I've had now for a number of years.  It sits on the shelf away from my other cookery books, nestled between Atlases and the like, and I may look at it only two or three time a year. 

Often I am tempted by deserts which are easy and quick, and easy to make in small quantities.  I remember having Zabaglione in the seventies in Bristol, maybe it was at the original Berni Inn, or at Le Boeuf sur Le Toit in Clifton, I remember the name as it was French, and my friends there used to love me saying the name in my unusual for then perfect French accent, was that the little bistro where Keith Floyd use to come amongst the diners and sit and chat about with us about the meals, offering extra glasses of wine? 

At this time when I was still very young, and working at my first job,  and wondering where I could get really good meals apart from the dinner party scene, I was living in Bristol, and there were quite a few good eateries there and all within walking distance, well we were used to walking, and they seem to merge together in my memory.  Sometimes it was Clifton where there were several good restaurants which beckoned, or maybe the town centre where the pubs and Old Vic may have been the Saturday night destination.

To go with the Zabaglione, I made some biscuits to dunk into the soft foamy bowl.  They were lovely just as they are with a cup of coffee, they kept fresh and crisp for the three days they lasted for.  They are softish in the centre, and light too.

Cornmeal Biscuits

50g sultanas soaked overnight in 1 tablespoon Sweet Marsala
60g fine yellow cornmeal;
90g plain flour
3g baking powder
100g butter
110g golden caster sugar
1 egg

Sift the cornmeal, flour and baking powder together.

Cream the butter and sugar together until very light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg, a teaspoon full at a time, then fold in the soaked sultanas with any liquid left.  Add the dry ingredients and stir well.

Drop teaspoons onto a tray lined with baking parchment, leaving plenty of space for spreading. It makes about 24 biscuits.

Bake in an oven Gas 4/180C for 8 -10 minutes, till golden brown at the edges.  Cool on a rack.  Store in an airtight jar or tin.