Looking for a dessert that contains lard

[Tom M of Durham NC]

I'm planning a multi-course Italian dinner and I realize that every course includes pork. That is, except dessert, which I haven't decided on yet. So of course now I'd like to find a dessert that includes some pork product, just to complete the thematic circle.

Lard seems the best prospect. Any suggestions? Doesn't have to be lard, either--just so long as there's something porky in it.

Thanks!

[Tom M of Durham NC]

Thanks to everyone for all the help so far! Lots of great choices.

[Nancy Berry]

There's an excellent recipe for Cucciddati, delicious fig and date-filled Italian cookies that are made with lard, at this link:

http://www.samcooks.com/flavor/cookie...

[bropaul]

Lot's of traditional Italian desserts were made originally with lard. I'm sure that I have some recipes somewhere.

[bigjimbray]

You can use lard in pie crust It is I think the best way to
make a pie crust because the lard makes it nice and flakey.
Like in a apple pie.

[Wanda Fuca]

How about just making little personal cakes in little piggy molds? Oinkalicious!

[missclaudy]

After all of these great posts,I have decided to open a bakery that features sweets made with lard only as the fat source. We will render our own lard 24 hours a day in the back room in huge copper kettles. We will feature bacon brittle,naturally,chicharron chip cookies and all of the other delish suggestions everyone has made ! Any suggestions for a name?

[Katie Nell]

Hhmmm... how about "Porkin' on Pies"?

[niki rothman]

Well, how about naming it "Pig Out"?

[Wanda Fuca]

LOL the natural name for the place! Who could resist kettles of lard?

[clarecat]

Have you ever tried biscochitos, a traditional New Mexico Christmas cookie? They are anise cookies that traditionally use lard. Delicious!

[lisa13]

Whatever you choose to make, please try to get your hands on real lard instead of using the hydrogenated processed stuff they sell at most grocery stores. It's like the difference between butter and margarine.

[Robert Lauriston]

It's like the difference between butter and Crisco! Ugh!! Ptui!

For a dessert you really want to render your own lard, unless you know an ethnic butcher who renders it fresh daily.

[niki rothman]

Try latino/Mexican bodegas for a real lard connection. Or, you could go to a butcher and buy some porkfat and render it yourself.

[Wanda Fuca]

How about something with cracklings in it? You could make maybe ricotta fritters and slip cracklings into the batter. You could make little amaretti cookies and mix in some cracklings.

There is also an oatmeal cookie that Mennonites make that calls for rendered chicken fat. You could Italian and pig it up by maybe putting in pinenuts or something specific to Italians and instead of chicken fat you could cook up some morning bacon and save back some of that fat and use it in the cookie... any cookie for that matter. Hmmm... yehum! Bacon fat is a great idea for a cookie! OR maybe put it into an olive oil cake. There is an olive oil cake in Nancy Silverton's Pastries from La Brea Bakery book that is awesome. I bet the book is in your library. Sub in maybe 1/2 the oil with bacon fat!

Otherwise... I love the post recommending bacon brittle!

[Hungry Celeste]

Go over to eGullet and search the Southern Food board for "pork cake". Recipe, photos, the works...

[jbyoga]

go for the bacon brittle!

[Scrapironchef]

Some older ginger snap recipes call for bacon fat or lard as a shortening.

[Eat_Nopal]

Most Mexican pastries, cookies & breads are made with lard. An Anise Sugar Cookie with Fig Jam could jive perfectly with an Italian meal.

[Louise]

One of Marcella Hazan's Classic Italian Cookbooks contains a recipe for dessert fritters that are, I believe, fried in lard. She says that no other fat gives as good a result.

[babette feasts]

yes, I was going to mention that too!

Chiacchiere della nonna

1+2/3 c. flour
1/4 c. lard
1 TB sugar
1 egg
2 TB white wine
1/4 tsp salt

powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients except powdered sugar and knead into a smooth, soft dough. Cover and let rest 15 min. Roll 1/8" thick and cut into ribbons approx 5 by 1/2" Twist into bow shapes, fry in hot lard until golden, turning once. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar.

Another suggestion would be olive oil gelato (I think Mario has a recipe?) with candied prosciutto and maybe a few drops of really good balsamic. For candied prosciutto, make a heavy simple syrup (3:2 or 2:1) and brush it onto both sides of thinly sliced pig. Arrange on a silpat and dry in a low oven - 250F or so until dry. If you have convection, it will go a lot faster. It will be slightly pliable while still warm but will crisp up as it cools.

[cheryl_h]

There are Chinese cookies which are made with lard. They don't taste the same with any other shortening. Also egg custard tarts which use lard in the flaky pastry. Neither is Italian but perhaps you could find something comparable?

[Melanie Wong]

Here's a link to my auntie's recipe for almond cookies made with lard.
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

[cheryl_h]

Thanks Melanie. I've made almond cookies many times but your aunt's recipe with ground walnuts sounds wonderful. There's no substitute for lard in these.

[grandma908]

can i get the recipe for that, my mom made them years ago she is gone now and I dont have the recipe..thanks

[Candice]

I had a very satisfying apricot corn bread topped with bacon chunks and maple ice cream at Le Pigeon in Portland this summer. A nice combo of salty and sweet.

[Ruth Lafler]

...drool ... that may be the most delicious-sounding thing I've ever heard.

[Robert Lauriston]

I think there's one in Carol Field's Celebrating Italy. Is it the feast of St. Anthony that's the huge porkfest?

[Robert Lauriston]

The recipe I was thinking of is pasticcio di maiale from Mimetta Lo Monte's Classic Sicilian Cookbook:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?s...

It's a pie filled with a mix of pork, sugar, cocoa, almonds, and candied pumpkin. It was very good in a medieval-ish sort of way.

[scoobyhed]

What about bacon or prosciutto candy? I imagine it would be just like smoked salmon candy--lots of brown sugar, molasses or maple syrup.

[btnfood]

I know Serena Bass has a chocolate cake recipe in her book that's made with lard. She says no other shortening gives the same effect for this particular cake.

[jsaimd]

bacon brittle...

[scenicrec]

That's what I was going to say! Buttermilk ice cream with bacon brittle.

[niki rothman]

The comic possibilities are endless...and don't forget, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam...Spam IS made from pork. Something Hawaiian perhaps with pineapple icecream, over fried until crunchy spam slices, sprinkled with coconut and topped with some dark rum and flambe'!

[missclaudy]

Anything in a delicious lard crust.A crostata, a rustic tart would be great to end an Italian meal.

[are_you_gonna_eat_that]

Does your dessert have to be Italian? Because the easiest — though non-italian — thing would be to do would be some kind of pie with lard in the crust. Though I've also seen some little italian dough balls, and I bet those have lard in them.

If you're really feeling adventurous, though, I found a recipe for bacon ice cream:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,385...

[Katie Nell]

Okay, believe it or not, but I think someone actually asked this same question before... every course included pork and they needed a dessert idea! I've searched but can't find it... maybe someone else will be able to! (Either that or I'm psychic! ;-)

[sweet ginger]

I remember this question coming up too- maybe a few months ago?