Cassata Alla Siciliana Sicilian Cream Tart Recipes

SICILIAN CREAM CAKE (CASSATA ALLA SICILIANA)

Steps:

• Combine ricotta, sugar, vanilla and liqueur in a bowl and blend thoroughly until smooth.
• Add chocolate and fruit; mix well.
• Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch spring form pan (or a large pan or bowl) with cake slices.
• Turn ricotta mixture into lined mold.
• Cover the top with remaining cake slices.
• Refrigerate overnight, or place in freezer for several hours.
• To serve: If you used a pan or bowl as a mold, invert pan/bowl onto a serving platter, and remove mold.
• Sprinkle (lightly sift) confectioner's sugar over cake.
• If you used a spring form pan, remove sides of pan, leaving cake on the pan bottom, place on serving platter, sift confectioner's sugar over cake.
• Variation: If you prefer, you can frost the cake with sweetened whipped cream flavored with a little almond extract.

CASSATA ALLA SICILIANA

Steps:

• In a microwavable bowl, melt the butter.
• Add the coffee and the chocolate chips and stir until melted and smooth. You might need to microwave the mixture a few short times to allow full melting of the chocolate chips.
• Once it's all melty and smooth, put the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice so it can cool down and firm up.
• Stir every 10-15 minutes to keep it smooth as it firms.
• Then start on the filling: Mix the ricotta with the sugar, orange zest and grated chocolate.
• After the pound cake has cooled, slice it into three horizontal layers.
• Drizzle the Grand Marier over all the layers.
• Then spread half the filling on the bottom layer, top with the next cake layer and spread with the remaining filling.
• Then top with the third layer of cake and spread the frosting on top and all over.
• Refrigerate until dinner.
• Drizzle the Gand Marnier.

CASSATA ALLA SICILIANA (SICILIAN CREAM TART)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• To Make Pan di Spagna (Sponge Cake): Have the following ingredients at room temperature for at least one hour before baking; 6 eggs, lemon juice, orange zest, and sherry.
• Separate 6 eggs and set the egg whites aside. Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Beat in sugar, lemon juice, orange zest, and sherry or 1 teaspoon almond extract. Beat until foamy.
• Sift flour 3 times and fold into eggs yolks gently but thoroughly. Beat egg whites until foamy, add salt, and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold into yolks. Pour batter into one ungreased 9 inch spring form pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 to 60 minutes. Test by pressing lightly with finger tip, if cake springs back at once it is done. Leave cake in pan to cool, and invert on a wire rack.
• Once cake is completely cool slice into 3 layers and sprinkle layers with rum.
• To Make Filling: Crush ricotta very finely with hands or a potato masher, add 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar and beat for about 3 minutes until creamy. Stir in 6 tablespoons rum, grated sweet chocolate, chopped candied cherries, cinnamon and toasted almonds.
• Spread ricotta filling over sponge cake layers, using half-inch of filling on each layer. Leave the top and sides of cake plain.
• To Make Frosting: Cream butter with 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar. Beat the 2 egg whites until stiff and gradually beat into the egg whites the remaining 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar. Fold egg whites into the butter mixture and add fold in 1 teaspoon almond extract.
• Cover sides and top cake evenly with frosting. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Serves 10.