Virgins’ breasts
Australian Gourmet Traveller Italian sweets recipe for virgins’ breasts
- Serves 8
Print
Ingredients
Icing
- 375 ml milk (1½ cups)
- 55 gm sugar (¼ cup)
- 35 gm cornflour (¼ cup)
- ¾ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 piece lemon rind, removed with a peeler
- 40 gm coarsely chopped candied orange (¼ cup)
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 320 gm pure icing sugar, sifted (2 cups)
- 8 candied cherries
Pastry
- 225 gm unsalted butter, softened
- 80 gm caster sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
- 475 gm plain flour
Method
Main
- 1In a heavy-based saucepan, whisk together milk, sugar, cornflour and ½ tsp vanilla and lemon rind. Place over medium heat and, whisking constantly, bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for a minute, then remove from heat and cool. Stir through candied orange and cinnamon and set aside until required.
- 2For pastry, cream butter and sugar using an electric mixer, then add egg yolk and beat to combine. Stir in lemon rind, ¼ tsp salt, flour and 50ml water and knead gently until a soft dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- 3Preheat oven to 180C. Roll out dough to about 3mm thick on a lightly floured work surface, then cut out 8 circles using an 8cm-diameter cutter and 8 circles using a 10cm-diameter cutter. Spoon ¼ cup of custard mixture into the centre of each 8cm circle to create a mound. Brush edges with water and place the larger pastry circles on top, pressing edges to seal. Place on baking paper-lined oven trays and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- 4Whisk together icing sugar, 2 tbsp boiling water and remaining vanilla in a bowl until smooth. Spoon icing over cooled pastries and place a cherry on top. Biscuits will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days.