This is my version of the well known Sicilian cake. It is always a bit risky for a cook to take a classic recipe and give it a few twists and turns and it is only a worthwhile exercise if you bring improvement to the original version.
Ingredients
This is my version of the well known Sicilian cake. It is always a bit risky for a cook to take a classic recipe and give it a few twists and turns and it is only a worthwhile exercise if you bring improvement to the original version.
I say with a degree of modesty that I think this interpretation is really good and I am delighted with it. It is a lovely end to this autumnal meal but I would be happy to see it in any season when a few fresh rose petals are available for the final flourish on top. I think it would make a heavenly light summer wedding cake.
Serves: 8
Genoise sponge
- 23cm spring-form tin
- A little melted butter and flour for preparing the cake tin
- 4 eggs
- 110g caster sugar
- 110g plain flour, sieved
- 50g butter, melted and cooled
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 23cm spring-form tin
Almond & Pistachio Paste
- 100g ground almonds
- 100g green pistachios
- 110g caster sugar
- 1 drop almond extract optional
- 2 tablespoons beaten egg
Ricotta filling
- 200g ricotta
- 50g candied orange peel, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons caster sugar
- Apricot Glaze
- 2 tablespoons apricot jam
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
To decorate
- Small, scented rose petals, 24 pistachios, finely diced candied peel
Method
- Preheat oven to 180c / 350f / gas 4
- Brush the inside of the cake tin with melted butter and line the base with a circle of parchment paper to fit exactly. Dust the sides of the tin lightly with flour, discarding the excess by taping the upturned tin on your counter top.
- Put the eggs in the bowl of a food mixer with whisk attachment and whisk the eggs, gradually adding in the sugar. Whisk on a high speed for about 10 minutes until the mixture has doubled in volume and is light and thick enough to make a distinct figure of 8 when the whisk is lifted.
- Fold the flour in three batches, folding each batch as lightly as possible with a long handled spatula. Just after the last batch, pour the melted butter and the vanilla extract around the side of the bowl and fold in quickly and gently as the mixture will lose volume as soon as the butter is added.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, gently smooth the surface and bake in the oven for 30 – 35 minutes until the cake shrinks very slightly from the sides of the tin and the top springs back when lightly pressed.
- Remove from the oven and place the tin on a wire rack to relax for 10 minutes before removing the cake from the tin. Place the cake, paper side down on the wire rack and leave to cool completely.
- To make the paste, place the pistachios with the ground almonds in a food processor and process until fine. Remove to a bowl and add the sugar, almond essence and the beaten egg and mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until the mixture comes together into a smooth paste.
- Roll the paste into a 23cm circle that will exactly fit and cover the top of the cake. It may be necessary to use a little ground almonds to prevent the paste from sticking as you roll it. I use the cake tin as a template.
- Mix all of the ricotta filling ingredients together until well combined.
- Heat the apricot jam and lemon juice to a bare simmer over a low heat, stirring occasionally until it is quite liquid. Sieve into a small bowl.
- Once the cake has cooled completely, carefully cut in half horizontally. Fill with the ricotta mixture and sandwich the two halves together.
- Brush the top of the cake with the apricot glaze. Place the circle of almond and pistachio paste on top and brush the whole cake including the paste covered top again with the remaining glaze.
- Decorate the top of the cake with pistachios, candied peel and small scented rose petals.
- Serve at room temperature.
