Cassata
You will need to begin this recipe 1-2 days ahead.
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Serves
8
| Cake |
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5
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eggs
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100 gm
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caster sugar
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½ tsp
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vanilla extract
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100 gm
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plain flour
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For brushing:
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almond liqueur, such as amaretto
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2 drops
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green food colouring
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500 gm
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fondant icing (see note)
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For dusting:
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icing sugar
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To serve:
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cedro, shaved with a peeler (see note)
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To serve:
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candied oranges or clementines (see note)
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| Ricotta filling |
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450 gm (2¼ cups)
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ricotta
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120 gm
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caster sugar
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1 tsp
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vanilla extract
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2 tsp
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almond liqueur, such as amaretto
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150 gm
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candied fruit, such as orange, cedro and pear (see note)
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50 gm
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good-quality dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
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1
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Place ricotta into a muslin-lined sieve over a bowl and refrigerate overnight to drain.
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2
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Preheat oven to 180C. Using an electric mixer, whisk eggs for 2 minutes, add sugar and whisk for 10 minutes or until pale and thick enough to form ribbons of mixture. Stir in vanilla, then gently fold through sifted flour. Pour mixture into a 23cm-diameter lined and greased cake pan and bake for 25 minutes or until golden and centre springs back when lightly pressed. Cool on a wire rack.
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3
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For ricotta filling, process drained ricotta, discarding liquid, in a food processor until smooth. Add sugar, vanilla and almond liqueur and blend to combine, then stir through candied fruit and chocolate. Refrigerate until required.
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4
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Halve cake horizontally and brush cut sides with almond liqueur. Spread ricotta mixture evenly over base and sandwich with top. Refrigerate until required.
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5
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Add food colouring to fondant icing and knead to combine colouring evenly. Roll out icing to 4mm thick on an icing sugar-dusted work surface, then cut out a 30cm-diameter circle, place over cake to cover and trim excess. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Decorate with cedro and candied orange and serve.
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Note Fondant icing is available from supermarkets. Cedro is the candied fruit of a citron tree and is available, along with other candied fruit, from Simon Johnson and David Jones Foodhalls.
RECIPE Rodney Dunn
PHOTOGRAPHY Con Poulos
STYLING Rodney Dunn and Megan Morton