Mini diplomatici

To prepare the mini diplomatic, for the sponge cake, you can use a stand mixer with beaters or electric beaters: work the eggs, adding the granulated sugar a little at a time 1. Also, add the seeds of the vanilla pod 2 and continue to whip the mixture until it is light and fluffy (this will take about 15-20 minutes) 3.

Add the sifted flour little by little 4 and with the help of a spatula, gently mix from bottom to top 5 to incorporate it. Then add the cornstarch, again sifting it and a little at a time 6.

Mix gently from top to bottom to avoid deflating the batter 7. As soon as the powders are well combined, pour the mixture into a 10.5x8 inch buttered and floured rectangular pan 8. Level the surface with a spatula 9 and bake in a preheated static oven at 320°F for about 45 minutes. Always adjust according to the power of your oven.

Meanwhile, prepare the cream. In a bowl, pour the egg yolks and sugar 10, mix with a whisk 11 and when they are combined, add the flour little by little 12,

always stirring with the whisk 13, until you get a smooth mixture. At this point, put the milk in a saucepan, add the vanilla seeds 14 and bring it almost to a boil. Then pour it little by little into the bowl with yolks and flour 15,

continuing to mix with the whisk 16 until completely combined 17. Pour the obtained mixture back into the saucepan 18,

turn the heat back on low and stir with a whisk until it thickens 19. Pour the cream into a bowl 20, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it cool in the refrigerator 20. As soon as the sponge cake is cooked, take it out of the oven 21 and let it cool at room temperature.

Now take your ready-made pastry and gently roll it out with a rolling pin 22. Transfer it to a baking sheet with its parchment paper, and prick it with a fork or the appropriate wheel 23. Sprinkle with powdered sugar 24. Do the same for the other one and bake in a preheated static oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes (until they are well golden). If you bake them together, you can swap the sheets halfway through cooking. For perfect cooking, of course, adjust with your oven.

Take it out of the oven and let it cool at room temperature 25. Do the same with the second puff pastry sheet. As soon as the pastry cream has cooled, pour the fresh cream into a bowl, add the powdered sugar 26, and whip it with electric beaters 27 until it is semi-whipped.

Soften the pastry cream by working it with a whisk 28. Now add the cream to the custard a little at a time 29, mixing gently with the spatula 30.

When the sponge cake is cold, trim it both at the top and bottom to eliminate the crust 31. Then trim it laterally 32 to obtain a rectangle measuring 9.5x6 inches 33.

When the puff pastry is cold, trim it laterally to obtain a rectangle of the same size 34. Repeat this operation for the second layer. Now you will need to assemble the diplomatic. Take a rectangle of puff pastry that will serve as the base and spread half of the diplomatic cream on it with a spatula 35. Place the sponge cake on top 36

and brush it well with Alchermes 37. Put the rest of the cream, spreading it with a spatula 38, and finally, place the last rectangle of puff pastry on the cream 39.

Transfer to a plate, cover with plastic wrap 40 and refrigerate for an hour. Then transfer to a cutting board 41 and cut with a serrated knife into 6 vertical slices 42. They will have a width of about 1.5 inches.

Now divide each slice into 5 squares 43. Transfer them to a tray 44, sprinkle them with powdered sugar, and serve cold 45.