Bonet with Lemon

Name: Bonet with Lemon
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: Whole milk 3 cups; Lemon juice 3; Lemon peel untreated 1; Limoncello 2.5 oz; Amaretti cookies 3.5 oz; Egg yolks 10; Sugar ¾ cup; Cornstarch ½ tbsp; Water hot to taste; Lemons 1; Mint (optional) to taste; Sugar 1 ½ tbsp; Amaretti cookies 2

it es fr de br

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Serving: 8
Cost: Low
Note plus 1 hour of rest in the refrigerator

PRESENTATION

Bonet al limone is a classic Italian dessert straight from Piemonte, with a fun twist. You know, this isn't your usual chocolate bonet—this one's got that spumoso and delicate pudding vibe, bursting with fresh lemony goodness. People in Piemonte love using amaretti cookies, especially from Mombaruzzo, which are super crisp with a hint of almond.

Here's the deal, this lemon bonet recipe ditches the heavier flavors for something refreshing and, honestly, just a bit unexpected. Instead of rum and chocolate, it's all about natural lemon juice and zest, with a splash of limoncello. And look, that really amps up the flavor, giving it a light and creamy feel that's compact and smooth.

Regional desserts like this are when you want something fancy yet familiar. Serving a Bonet al limone feels like a love letter to Piemonte. The lemon-flavored bonet holds its cool cone-like shape—retro and super chic—and those Mombaruzzo amaretti keep it grounded in tradition.

In Northern Italy, folks pride themselves on their moist and fluffy puddings. No question. This one's no exception. The limoncello and real lemons combo gives you a traditional Italian pudding that's both elegant and chill. It's perfect for a dinner party or just as a surprise treat. And here's the thing, add a few extra amaretti on top and you've got something fancy that tastes like pure comfort.

Anyone into Italian dessert recipes will really really appreciate what makes this dish a cool find. It's got that sweet, zesty, and smooth balance in every bite. It's pretty simple: enjoy a taste of Italy with every spoonful and bring that Italian countryside charm to your home. Seriously good.

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients (for a 12.5x4.7 inch rectangular mold): Whole milk 3 cups (700 g); Lemon juice 3; Lemon peel 1 - untreated; Limoncello 2.5 oz (70 g); Amaretti cookies 3.5 oz (100 g); Egg yolks 10; Sugar ¾ cup (150 g); Cornstarch ½ tbsp (50 g); Water to taste - hot

For garnish: Lemons 1; Mint to taste - (optional); Sugar 1 ½ tbsp (20 g); Amaretti cookies 2

Preparation

How to prepare Bonet with Lemon

To prepare the lemon bonet, start with the amaretti: put them in a blender 1 and chop them (you can also finely crumble them by hand), then add the sifted cornstarch to the powder obtained 2 and set the mixture aside. Place the eggs in a stand mixer, or if you don't have one, in a large bowl, turn on the whisks, and gradually add the sugar 3.

Beat the eggs with the sugar 4 until you get a light and homogeneous cream. Then incorporate the limoncello 5 and the grated zest of an untreated lemon 6.

With the whisk still running, pour in the filtered lemon juice 7, the amaretto and cornstarch powder you set aside 8, and add the room temperature milk gradually 9; continue mixing the ingredients to combine them.

Now, take a rectangular loaf pan measuring 12.5x4.7 inches and 2.4 inches deep (or individual pudding molds), place it in a large and deep baking dish. Then pour the mixture into the mold using a ladle 10. For the bain-marie cooking, pour hot water into the baking dish up to 2/3 of the mold's height 11. Cook the lemon bonet in a preheated static oven at 356°F for 45-50 minutes (or fan-forced oven at 320°F for 40-45 minutes). The bonet will be cooked when you see it start to detach from the sides of the mold and the surface appears slightly golden; gently remove it from the oven and the bain-marie mold; let it cool completely at room temperature 12. When cool, place it in the fridge for about 1 hour.

In the meantime, prepare the garnish: wash the lemon and cut into thin slices 13. Transfer the slices to a pan, add the sugar, and cook for a few minutes to caramelize the lemon slices (14-15). Then turn off the heat and let cool.

Then take the bonet out of the fridge, fill a container with boiling water, and immerse the mold with the bonet for a few seconds in the boiling water to make it easier to extract the dessert. You can use the tip of a knife to delicately detach the dessert from the sides of the mold. Unmold the dessert by turning it over on a serving plate 16. Now you can garnish your lemon bonet: arrange the caramelized or fresh lemon slices on the surface and, if you like, some strips of zest. Add whole or crumbled amaretti to your liking and the caramelized lemon slices around the dessert 17, if you like, also add some mint leaves. Your bonet is ready to be served 18!

Storage

The lemon bonet can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
You can freeze the lemon bonet, and before consuming it, it should be thawed in the refrigerator one day in advance.

Advice

For a more lemony and less alcoholic bonet, you can replace the limoncello with the same amount of lemon juice; however, if you prefer a stronger aroma, nothing prevents you from using a few teaspoons of rum! Speaking of substituting liquids, the bonet works great with rice milk or soy milk too.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.