Cassata

A ricotta-filled sponge lined with green marzipan and set in a sloped mould.

Egg. Not vegetarian — contains ricotta whose rennet the source does not name.

Ingredients

• 1 plain sponge cake, about 24 cm, sliced 1 cm thick
• 800 g sheep's ricotta, drained 24 hours
• 250 g icing sugar
• 100 g candied peel, chopped
• 80 g dark chocolate, chopped
• 400 g marzipan
• a little green food colouring
• 100 ml marsala, for soaking
• 200 g icing sugar, for the glaze
• 2 tablespoons water, for the glaze
• candied fruit, to decorate

Method

1. Beat the drained ricotta with the icing sugar until completely smooth, then fold in the peel and chocolate.
2. Colour the marzipan pale green and roll it 5 mm thick. Cut strips as tall as your mould.
3. USE A SLOPED MOULD — a bowl or a conical tin, wider at the top. Line the sides with alternating strips of marzipan and sponge, standing upright, pressing them together so there are no gaps.
4. Brush the sponge with marsala.
5. Fill with the ricotta, level it, and close the bottom with a final layer of sponge. That layer becomes the base when it is turned out.
6. Chill at least 6 hours, or overnight.
7. Turn it out onto a plate. Mix the icing sugar with the water to a thick glaze and pour it over the top only, letting it run a little down the sides.
8. Decorate with candied fruit once the glaze has set.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under Italy · All recipes