Amaretti in Anglo Italian Trifle

Asked by kk78. Answered on 8th July 2013

Full question

I want to make Nigella's Anglo Italian Trifle but I just wondered if the amaretti biscuits will actually go soft or will they stay crunchy? Thanks.

Our answer

In Nigella's Anglo Italian Trifle (from Forever Summer) the amaretti cookies crumbled over the sponge cake in the base of the trifle are the crunchy type, not the soft (morbidi) type. However as they are soused with limoncello and will also absorb some juices from the blackberries they are unlikely to stay crunchy.

If you dip an amaretti cookies in coffee or a liqeur it will absorb some of that liquid and this will make the cookie slightly chewy, rather than crunchy. This is the same effect that you will get with the trifle. So there will be some difference in texture between the cake and the amaretti, but it won't be as distinct as in the unsoaked form. If you would like some crunchy amaretti in the trifle too then we would suggest that you either crumble some amaretti over the surface of the trifle just before serving, along with the flaked almonds or alternatively you may be able to find the smaller ratafia cookies (which are similar to amaretti) and use these as decoration on the top of the trifle.