Before lining the pudding bowl with the soaked sponge cake, line the bowl with some cling film which will help you turn the cake out. Before serving you can sprinkle with cocoa or garnish with melted chocolate and a little fresh cream.

Legend has it that the sponge and cream pudding ‘zuccotto’ is the first semifreddo in gastronomic history and that it was first made in a spiked infantry helmet. ‘Zucca’ in Tuscan dialect means ‘head’.