Amaretto's association with love and romance is a result of a misinterpretation of the word's true meaning which is perhaps something that frequently does play a role in the game of love, although many of us are loathe to admit it; bitterness. The sweet Italian liqueur is made from a base of absolute liquor and an infusion of stones from the drupe fruit family, such as peaches, apricots or the bitter almond. It's the fruit stones that lend a subtle bitter note to amaretto and the conflation of the words amaro and amore, Italian for love, is the reason the sweet, slightly syrupy liquid will forever find its way to the lover's table. The word amaretto then is often interpreted as an amalgamation of the two words, roughly translated as "a little bitter love". Once the liqueur's base is properly infused, it's sweetened with caramelised sugar or sweet almond essence along with a combination of herbs and fruits that the world's classic amaretto companies such as DiSaronno and Lazzaroni refuse to reveal. This mystery along with the liqueur's ties to love heighten the mystique of this languid, cloying spirit.
The Italian custom of incorporating almonds into recipes originated in Sicily between the 9th and 10th centuries. There was a strong Arabic presence in this region at the time and their tradition of using almonds in both sweet and savory dishes influenced the early Sicilians. The practice eventually spread north to the Lombardy region, specifically the municipality of Saronno, where the first almond based Italian liqueurs emerged. Today DiSaronno Amaretto is the world's most famous amaretto brand and the company claims that their recipe, which is actually based on apricot essence instead of the traditional almond, has not changed since 1525. Their liqueur contains 17 secret herbs and spices and the classic rectangular shaped glass decanter was created by an artisan in Murano centuries ago.
The company perpetuates the sentimental Renaissance era legend that their recipe is based on the one created by a widowed innkeeper who posed as a model for Bernardino Luini, a student of Leonardo Da Vinci. In 1525 the artist was commissioned to paint the frescoes of a church in Saronno. The innkeeper posed as the Virgin Mary for Luini and eventually became the artist's lover. Having limited resources, she presented him with a liqueur of apricot stones steeped in brandy as a sign of her affection. While this story is most likely a marketing ploy, it further bolsters amaretto's symbolic link to love.
Lazzaroni Amaretto is another popular brand of amaretto and while the recipe is based upon an infusion of Amaretti di Saronno dating from only 1851, the classic red packaging of both their liqueur and amaretti biscuits is perhaps the most recognizable global brand association to amaretto.
Like the liqueur, the amaretti biscuit is a traditional staple throughout Italy, with each region having its own distinct recipe, flavor and texture. Amaretti di Sassello from Liguria is moist and soft like marzipan whereas Amaretti di Saronno is crunchy with a crispy texture. Traditionally amaretti were packaged wrapped together as a pair to symbolize a union of sweethearts as Lazzaroni's amaretti in their bright red tin continue to be presented today.
For this simple crepe recipe, I've incorporated amaretto in the sweet potato glaze as well as amaretti as a garnish. It's an ideal way to use up the last of Thanksgiving's sweet potato leftovers and with store bought crepes, the execution could not be easier. The creme fraiche adds silkiness to the crunchy counterpoint of crushed amaretti and the addition of sage and orange zest freshens up even the most tired bowl of holiday remnants. The amaretto glaze adds an alluring layer of sweetness with the requisite hint of bitterness to remind us that love isn't perfect; there's sweetness certainly, but there will be bitterness too.
Sweet Potato Amaretto Crepes
Since there won't always be a bowl of leftover Thanksgiving sweet potatoes in the fridge, I use fresh in this recipe. Substitute yams if desired. And while I'm all for warm, homemade crepes, in this busy season, I opted for the easy store bought alternative. Feel free to omit the orange zest but I like the zippiness it adds to the recipe.
3 sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons butter, plus one tablespoon for greasing pan
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup amaretto
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, sliced thinly6-8 amaretti cookies, crushed
8 pre-made crepes
creme fraiche, for garnish
for the sweet potatoes
1. Place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil, reduce heat, cover and let simmer 25 to 30 minutes until potatoes are fork tender.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 8x8 inch oven proof baking pan. When the sweet potatoes are cool, peel and cut into medium size chunks. Arrange them in the prepared dish.
3. In a small saucepan, melt the butter then add brown sugar, amaretto, salt and orange zest. Cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour the glaze along with the sage leaves over the sweet potatoes. Stir gently to combine.
4. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the glaze is glistening.
to assemble
5. Warm the crepes in the oven for a few minutes until heated through. In a small bowl, gently toss the sweet potatoes with most of the crushed amaretti cookies, reserving a small portion for garnish. Distribute the potatoes evenly amongst the warm crepes, reserving a bit of the glaze for garnish. Roll up the crepes and garnish with a swirl of remaining glaze, a dollop of creme fresh and a sprinkling of crushed amaretti. Serve immediately.