Chocolate Cassata Recipes

Steps:

• Place the ricotta into a fine mesh sieve and nestle this over a bowl, place into the refrigerator overnight to allow the excess moisture to drain out before proceeding with the cassata recipe.
• Place the ricotta into the bowl of a mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until the curds smooth out. Mix the drained and beaten ricotta with 1 cup powdered sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, chocolate chips and half the candied fruit. Set aside.
• Lightly oil a 10-inch springform pan with canola oil. Slice the sponge cake very thinly so that the springform may be lined with it in an even layer. Line the sides and bottom of the pan with the sponge cake. Pour the ricotta filling into the cake-lined pan. Place a final layer of cake over the ricotta filling; this now creates the bottom to the cassata. Before serving, the cassata will be inverted onto this cake bottom. Refrigerate the cassata overnight to firm the filling.
• Invert the springform pan on a wide platter. Open the hinge and remove the springform sides and bottom.
• The cassata may now be finished by either covering with a heavy coating of the remaining powdered sugar or may be coated with a thin layer of green marzipan. Either way, the remaining candied fruits should be used to decorate the finished cassata. Slice thinly and serve.

Steps:

• CAKE:.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F Lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan.
• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, baking powder, espresso powder, and cocoa to make a sandy, somewhat clumpy mixture. Don't worry; the eggs will smooth things out.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl midway through this process.
• Add half the flour to the bowl, beating at low speed to combine.
• Add all of the milk, beating at low speed to combine.
• Add the remaining flour, beating gently just until the batter is smooth.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake the cake for about 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The top may look a tiny bit damp; that's OK. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the center will register 210°F to 215°F, while just under the top will register about 198°F to 200°F.
• Remove the cake from the oven, loosen the edges, wait 10 minutes, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool.
• Store completely cooled cake well wrapped, at room temperature, until ready to fill and frost.
• FILLING:.
• Stir together the ricotta, sugar, vanilla, and chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Frosting:.
• Sift the cocoa, confectioners' sugar, and espresso powder into a bowl.
• Bring the cream to a simmer on the stove or in the microwave, and whisk into the cocoa mixture. At first the mixture will look grainy; continue whisking for a minute. You'll see the lumps disappear as the sugar dissolves and the cocoa hydrates.
• Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Place the butter, salt, and sifted confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl.
• Beat until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla.
• With the mixer running on low speed, add the cocoa mixture a spoonful at a time until it's all incorporated. Scrape the bowl, then beat at medium speed for 1 minute.
• Assemble Cake:.
• Split the cake in thirds lengthwise, to make 3 layers. Brush the cut side of each layer with simple syrup or vanilla syrup; this will help keep the cake moist.
• Place the bottom layer on a serving plate. Spread with half the ricotta filling. Top with the second layer, and spread with the remaining filling. Place the third layer on top.
• Ice the cake - top and sides - with the frosting.
• Serve immediately; or refrigerate, well-wrapped, until ready to serve, preferably not longer than 24 hours. Cut in crosswise slices to serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F)/gas 4.
• For the sponge, whisk the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer, or by hand, until pale, fluffy and at least doubled in size. Sift in the flour, add the vanilla paste, then slowly fold through. Grease a 26-by-36-centimeter (10-by-14-inch) baking tray with butter, then line it with parchment paper and grease that, too. Spoon the batter into the tray and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
• Meanwhile, blitz the pistachios in a food processor until fine. Break in the marzipan and blitz until it forms a dough, adding a splash of water to combine, if needed.
• Take the sponge out of the oven and confidently flip it out on to a clean tea towel. Peel off the parchment paper, place it back on top, then roll up while the sponge is still warm and flexible. Leave to cool for around 20 minutes.
• For the filling, whiz the ricotta with the sugar in a food processor until smooth. Toast the hazelnuts in a frying pan until golden, then finely chop with the candied fruit, pistachios and chocolate. Mix into the ricotta.
• Roll out most of the marzipan on a large sheet of parchment paper to 26 by 46 centimeters (10 by 18 inches), and 2 millimeters (1/16 inch) thick. Spread over the jam, unroll the sponge on top, drizzle over the Vin Santo and spread over the ricotta. Line up the cherries along the side nearest you, then, using the paper to help you, roll it up, pressing lightly to seal. Trim the ends, then roll out the remaining marzipan and stamp out shapes to decorate the top. Serve it after 30 minutes, chilling in the fridge, or freeze for another day. If frozen, defrost in the fridge for 3 hours before serving. Dust with confectioners' sugar to finish.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and line with parchment paper 2 nine inch round layer pans.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
• Separate the eggs and set the egg whites aside. Beat the egg yolks together on medium-high speed until very thick, about 4 minutes. Gradually add the cold water. Add 1- 1/4 cups of the white sugar, slowly, and beat well for about 3 more minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Sift the flour mixture over the egg yolk mixture and fold in.
• Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together until stiff peaks form. Fold this into the yolk mixture. Divide batter between the pans.
• Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 25 minutes. Cool on rack for 10 minutes and then invert and cool completely.
• Cut each cake layer in half. Place one of the 4 halves on a cake board or plate and sprinkle with a little of the Rum Syrup. Spread about 1-1/2 cups of the Filling over this layer. Add a second layer of cake and repeat this procedure. Top the cake with the last layer of cake. Chill at least 4 hours. Spread Chocolate Glaze over top of cake.
• To Make Ricotta Cheese Filling: Beat the ricotta cheese well and add the confectioner's sugar and cinnamon. Add 1-1/2 teaspoons of the vanilla and grate 2 ounces of the chocolate in using the coarse side of a grater. Stir in the candied lemon peel and mix. Chill until ready to use.
• To Make The Rum Syrup: Place 1/3 cup of the sugar and the water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil 1 minute and then remove from heat and add the rum. Cool to room temperature.
• To Make The Chocolate Glaze: Melt 6 ounces of the chocolate and the cream in the microwave, whisk smooth. Add the butter and whisk until dissolved. Cool mixture until spreadable. Spread over the top of the cake.

Steps:

• Frosting: Place chocolate, butter and espresso in a small heatproof bowl or the top of a double boiler. Set over gently simmering water, with the bottom not the touching water. Stir until melted, smooth and combined.
• Remove from heat and refrigerate until firm, stirring every 15 minutes, about 1 hour.
• Filling: In a bowl, stir together the ricotta, sugar and orange zest. Using a grater, grate the chocolate chunk into the bowl and fold into the ricotta.
• Assembly: Using a serrated knife, slice the pound cake horizontally to form 3 equal layers. Place 1 layer on a flat plate and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons orange liqueur. Spread 1/2 of the ricotta mixture on top.
• Top with second layer layer, sprinkle with remaining orange liqueur and spread with the rest of the ricotta. Place 3rd cake layer on top.
• Using a narrow spatula, frost top and sides with the cooled chocolate mixture.
• Refrigerate until serving time but no longer than 8 hours.

Steps:

• For filling:
• Combine dried currants and 2 tablespoons Marsala in small bowl. Let currants macerate 15 minutes. Cut cherries into eighths and drain on paper towels. Drain currants.
• Puree ricotta cheese, sugar, remaining 3 tablespoons Marsala and whipping cream in processor until smooth. Transfer to medium bowl. Gently mix in currants and cherries.
• Peel any loose crust from pound cake and discard. Cut pound cake lengthwise into 3 horizontal layers. Place bottom layer on serving platter. Spread half of filling over. Place second pound cake layer atop filling. Spread remaining filling over. Arrange third pound cake layer atop filling. Smooth sides with rubber spatula. Refrigerate cassata until filling is firm, about 2 hours.
• For Frosting:
• Combine 1/2 cup reserved cherry syrup, semisweet chocolate and Marsala in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Add unsalted butter a few pieces at a time and whisk until melted. Refrigerate frosting until thickened to spreading consistency, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
• Slide sheets of waxed paper under edges of cassata. Transfer 1 cup chocolate frosting to pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Spread remaining chocolate frosting over sides and top of cassata. Pipe frosting in pastry bag in swirls on long sides and in rosettes along upper edges of cassata. Refrigerate until set. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.) Let cassata stand at room temperature 20 minutes before serving.