Cassata

Cassata is the Italian for cheesecake

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Ingredients

280 g	caster sugar
150 g	plain flour
1 tsp	baking powder
¹/₂ large	lemon, zest and juice
6 large	eggs, separated
2 large	eggs, whites only, keep separate from above
	Marsala wine
500 g	ricotta cheese, preferably from sheep milk
¹/₄ tsp	vanilla extract
50 g	diced candied melon or pumpkin peel
50 g	dark chocolate, shaved, use 70%+ if possible
250 g	blanched almonds
3 drop(s)	bitter almond extract
500 g	icing sugar
1 pinch(es)	salt
	potato starch
	green food colouring
	strips of candied melon or pumpkin peel and assorted candied fruit, for decoration

Method

Preparation time: ca. 2 hrs Resting time: ca. 6 hrs / Grade of difficulty: tricky / Calories per portion: n/a

Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4, 180°C, 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x9-inch, 22cm square floured cake tin.

Whip 6 of the egg whites with a pinch of salt to firm peaks.

In a separate bowl beat the 6 yolks with about ¾ of the sugar until light and frothy and pale yellow in colour. Sift flour with the baking powder and slowly add to the yolks together with about 2 tbsp of the beaten whites and lemon zest. Mix well and then gently fold in the remaining beaten whites.

Pour the batter into the tin and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely before removing from tin.

Meanwhile, grind the almonds using pulse mode if possible. Add about half the icing sugar, the almond essence dissolved in about 60ml water and blend until well mixed.

Dust the work surface with the potato starch and turn out the almond paste. Dilute a few drops of green food colouring with a few drops of water and work into the almond paste until evenly coloured. Wrap the finished paste in cling film and chill in refrigerator until required.

Press the rocotta through a wire sieve and mix with about 60g of caster sugar, vanilla, chocolate and the diced melon peel.

Remove the almond paste from the refrigerator and roll out to ¼ or 6mm thick and about 9 inches, 22cm wide to fit the tin.

Line a 10-inch, 25cm pudding basin or mould with cling film and lay the almond paste on that. Line the sides of the bowl with ½ inch, 12mm sheets of the cake.

Make a syrup by diluting the Marsala with a little water and sugar and sprinkle it over the cake. Fill the remaining space with the ricotta mixture and cover with additional sheets of cake, sprinkling with more of the Marsala syrup.

Cover the bowl with a large plate and press down gently to press the parts gently together. Chill the assembly overnight in the refrigerator.

Invert the bowl over a serving dish to release the cassata. Remove the bowl and lining.

Beat the remaining egg whites and sift the remaining icing sugar into them, beating continuously until thick. Add 2 tbsp of lemon juice and spread over the cassata. Allow the glaze to set for several minutes. Decorate with the remaining candied fruits and chill again for several hours before serving.

May serve 10-12.

Note: in view of the length of chilling time involved, you may prefer to make this one day or more in advance.

About the recipe:
Although the cake component is baked, the topping uses uncooked egg whites. If pregnant, breastfeeding or very young or elderly may eat this, you may prefer to pasteurise the eggs in advance. The procedures for this were included in previous recipes I submitted and will not be repeated here. They will be available, if required, upon request.