Cassata
The pistachio marzipan adds a wonderful flavor and striking visual to this cassata. The candied citrus is a perfect compliment to the creamy smooth layers of ricotta and the orange liqueur soaked sponge cake.
Ingredients
Sponge Cake
- 1 cup flour
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 tsp zest of a lemon or orange
- 5 large eggs, room temp
- ½ cup simple syrup
- 2 tbsp orange liqueur or juice
Pistachio Marzipan
- 1 cup shelled pistachios
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 egg white
Ricotta Filling
- ½ lb cream cheese, softened
- 1 lb ricotta cheese, full fat if using homemade, drain overnight in a cheese cloth
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- pinch salt
Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 oz butter, softened
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- ½ tsp lemon or orange zest
- 1 recipe candied fruit get recipe
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F, with rack in center of the oven. Line a 13 X 18 Baking Sheet with parchment paper and grease the paper.
- Beat the sugar, zest, and eggs in a stand mixer using the whip attachment, on high speed for about 5 minutes. The eggs will be light in color and very thick.
- Sift the flour over the egg mixture and fold it in carefully. Pour into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly in the pan.
- Bake for about 18 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely. While the cake is cooling prepare the pistachio marzipan.
- In a Food Processor pulverize the nuts and powdered sugar until powdery.
- Whisk the egg white in a small bowl and add most of it, but not all to the pistachios and blend until it all comes together in a ball. If the dough is too dry to come together, add the rest of the egg white.
- Remove from the bowl and knead for a minute on a surface covered with powdered sugar. Prepare a 4-1/2-by-8-1/2-Inch Loaf Pan by covering it in plastic wrap. Roll the marzipan in powdered sugar until it is 1/4-inch thick.
- Measure the loaf pan sides and cut the marzipan in strips to completely cover the sides. Set aside and prepare the ricotta filling.
- In a stand mixer beat together the cream cheese, strained ricotta, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth.
- Measure the bottom of the loaf pan and cut a piece of the cooled cake to fit the bottom. Mix together the simple syrup and liqueur, then brush it on to the cake. You want enough to really flavor the cake, but not so much that it because soggy.
- Cover the cake with a layer of the ricotta filling to reach almost midway up the pan. Repeat this process with another later of cake, more soaking syrup and ricotta filling.
- Top the ricotta filling with another layer of cake and soaking syrup. It should come just to the top of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but overnight is best.
- Unmold the cake onto a serving platter and mix the cream cheese icing.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, and zest. Using a pastry bag and a basket weave tip to pipe the icing onto the cake. Here is a Basket Weave 101. Then use a small star tip to pipe a border along the base of the cake.
- Garnish with candied fruit in your favorite pattern.