Yeast cakes with apple marmellata and ricotta

1.For apple marmellata, combine apple, lemon juice and 200ml water in a wide saucepan. Bring to the simmer over medium heat and cook, covered, until apple is just tender (5-10 minutes). Add pips and caster sugar and bring to the boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until apple is translucent (2-4 minutes), then remove from heat and cool in pan. Makes about 1½ cups.

2.For yeast dough, combine yeast, 2 tsp sugar, 1 yolk, 30gm flour and 30ml warm milk in a bowl and stir until smooth. Cover with a damp tea towel and stand in a warm place until doubled in volume (2 hours). Place 225gm flour in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add 2 yolks, remaining sugar, 70ml milk and yeast mixture and mix until a sticky elastic dough forms (5-10 minutes). Transfer to an oiled bowl, turn once, then cover with a damp tea towel and stand in a warm place until doubled in size (2 hours). Knock back dough and return to electric mixer with remaining flour, remaining yolks, lightly beaten egg, lemon rind and remaining milk and mix until smooth and elastic (10 minutes; you may need to add a little extra flour if dough is too sticky). Gradually add butter, mixing well after each addition. Cover with a damp tea towel and stand in a warm place until tripled in size (2 hours).

3.Knock back dough, divide into 16 and roll each piece into a ball. Place in 16 buttered and floured 250ml decorative moulds and stand until doubled in size (1 hour).

4.Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180C. Bake cakes until an inserted skewer withdraws clean (20-30 minutes). Remove from tins and serve warm dusted with icing sugar, with apple marmellata and ricotta to the side.