Lucy Ferignos Ricotta Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Place ricotta in a fine-mesh sieve and set aside to drain for approximately one hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large bowl, mix together drained ricotta, salt, flour, sugar, egg yolks and orange rind. Beat well for approximately five minutes until mixture is thick. Add candied peel and mix well with a wooden spoon to distribute pieces throughout mixture.
• In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Fold gently but thoroughly into egg yolk mixture.
• Butter and flour a deep, round, springform cake pan, 8 1/2 to 9 inches in diameter. Pour batter into pan - it should not be more than half full. Place in oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until middle is firm to the touch and cake is lightly golden brown on top.
• Remove from oven and set aside to cool. As the cake cools, it will shrink somewhat. When cool, remove sides of pan and gently transfer cake to a serving dish. Sift confectioner's sugar and cinnamon, mixed together, over the top.

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the butter into a pot and cook, stirring, until it browns. Remove from the heat and let cool, but not to the point that it solidifies, about 5 minutes.
• Whip the eggs and egg yolks together with the granulated sugar until thick and fluffy. Sift the flour and baking powder together in a bowl, then fold into the whipped egg mixture. Add the butter and mix until incorporated. Add the sour cream, milk and vanilla seeds and mix until it comes together. Transfer to a piping bag.
• Spray two 12-cup muffin tins generously with cooking spray. Arrange the sliced figs in the muffin cups (overlapping is okay). Sprinkle about 2 teaspoons brown sugar on top of each. Fill the muffin cups with the cake batter about three-quarters of the way full. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the edges comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before removing from the muffin cups.
• For the sweet ricotta: Meanwhile, put the ricotta in a large fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and let drain for 30 minutes. Discard the liquid. Stir in the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth. Reserve until ready to serve.
• Serve the cakes with a dusting of confectioners' sugar and dollops of sweet ricotta. Garnish with quartered figs if using.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round springform pan, tapping out the excess flour.
• Place the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer on medium low, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl and mixing until smooth. Add the ricotta, sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix until combined. Don't worry; the ricotta will make it look lumpy.
• In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter, mixing just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Arrange the figs on the cake, cut sides up, in snug but not-overlapping concentric circles. Sprinkle with the turbinado sugar and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a baking rack for 15 to 20 minutes, transfer to a cake plate, and serve warm with crème fraîche on the side.

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 1800c, gas mark 4, 1600C for convection oven.
• Spread some margerine on an 18cm diameter cake tin, and sprinkle flour lightly on it.
• Sieve the flour and add the baking powder.
• In a bowl, rub in the butter and sugar, until the mixture becomes creamy. Use an electric beater for good results.
• Add the egg yolks and beat well until it becomes foamy. Add this to the ricotta. Mix well with your hands.
• Start adding flour, little by little, mixing well continously.
• Place the mixture in the cake tin and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the cake has risen and turned golden. Let the cake cool for an hour in the cake tin.

Steps:

• Place ricotta in a fine-mesh sieve and drain thoroughly, for approximately one hour.
• In a large bowl, beat together eggs, ricotta, sugar and liqueur. Beat for approximately 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth and thick.
• Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Fold flour into eggs and cheese. Mix well. Set aside, refrigerated, to rest for about an hour.
• Over medium high heat bring oil to frying temperature. Test by tossing in a cube of white bread - if it sizzles and browns quickly, oil is ready.
• Drop egg-cheese mixture by tablespoons full into hot oil. Turn once to brown both sides. When they are puffed up and well browned, remove and drain on absorbent paper.
• When drained and cool, sprinkle puffs with powdered sugar.