by AntoniaJames
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AntoniaJames's Notes:
Expand1 tart crust, blind baked (See note below) Ask a question about this ingredient
2 tablespoons yellow raisins Ask a question about this ingredient
2 tablespoons orange liqueur Ask a question about this ingredient
1 pound ricotta (preferably homemade) Ask a question about this ingredient
1/3 cup sugar Ask a question about this ingredient
1 tablespoon flour Ask a question about this ingredient
1 teaspoon vanilla extract Ask a question about this ingredient
Zest of one lemon, grated Ask a question about this ingredient
3 egg yolks Ask a question about this ingredient
2 tablespoons buttermilk Ask a question about this ingredient
3/4 cup marmalade Ask a question about this ingredient
1 ½ ounces dark chocolate, finely shaved, divided (I use a vegetable peeler for this.) Ask a question about this ingredient
1 cup pecan pieces, chopped (measured after chopping) Ask a question about this ingredient
In a small bowl, soak the raisins in the liqueur. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Ask a question about this stepBlend in a food processor the ricotta, sugar, flour, vanilla extract, lemon zest, egg yolks and buttermilk until thoroughly combined and smooth. It will take two or three minutes, during which time you should scrape down the sides three or four times.
Ask a question about this stepPour the liqueur off the raisins, pressing down on them; then add the liqueur to the ricotta mixture. Buzz for another few seconds to incorporate.
Ask a question about this stepSlather the marmalade on the bottom of the blind-baked shell. Add more than the 3/4 cup if you like it and you have extra . . . the more, the merrier, here.
Ask a question about this stepSprinkle on about a third of the chocolate shavings, and the soused raisins.
Ask a question about this stepSpread on the flavored ricotta. It works best just to drop some large globs of it on, and then gently smear it across the chocolate-covered marmalade. It's sort of like icing a cake. And it will smell delicious. Don't worry if some of the marmalade sticks to your spatula and gets into the ricotta. Once it's baked, no one will ever know. When you've gotten the ricotta smooth, sprinkle on the nuts.
Ask a question about this stepBake in the bottom third of your oven for about 25 minutes. (Frame the outer crust, with foil or whatever other device you use, to keep it from getting too dark, if necessary. That will depend on how dark the outer crust got when you blind baked it.)
Ask a question about this stepSprinkle on the rest of the chocolate shavings, lower the heat to 325 degrees, cover the tart lightly with foil, and bake for another 10 minutes.
Ask a question about this stepAllow to cool for at least two hours before serving.
Ask a question about this stepEnjoy!! ;o)
Ask a question about this stepN.B. I used the 3-2-1 ratio for pie crust in Michael Ruhlman’s exposition on the ratios compiled by Uwe Hestner, now retired chef-instructor at the Culinary Institute of America, in Ruhlman’s book entitled “Ratio.” I adapted the nut crust variation, grinding pecans with a few tablespoons of sugar, substituting a good bit of Mexican vanilla for part of the water, and using 2 parts of all-purpose flour to one part barley flour. I pressed the crust into the tart pan, but used a straight-sided small juice glass to roll it even. It smelled heavenly while blind-baking, like nut crescent cookies, because frankly, it's essentially the same dough. The ricotta filling has many of the same ingredients as the Crostata di Ricotta recipe in the same Time-Life book as the Cassata alla Siciliana recipe, but I scaled down the amount of ricotta and altered the proportions to create the relatively thin layer of what is essentially a pound-cake flavored cheesecake in this dessert. ;o)
Ask a question about this stepThanks so much. I really like buttermilk with citrus (in fact, I posted an orange buttermilk sherbet here a week or two before I made this) . . . . plus, I thought just a hint of tangy flavor would go well with the marmalade and dark chocolate. I use a Bulgarian buttermilk (which is extra tangy) by the way, in dishes like this. It's great stuff if you can get it. ;o)
Oh how I wish I could eat nuts! What would this be like without them? Or do you have any substitutions you would recommend? Beautiful photo and recipe, AJ!!
What if you subbed pine nuts - would be very Italian, don't you think?
I would try pine nuts! A traditional cassata alla Siciliana doesn't have any nuts in it, but the crostata di ricotta, which is very similar to the filling in this pie, often is covered in pine nuts. I'd use a regular crust, with perhaps some toasted wheat germ in it and a bit of barley flour, which both give it a nutty taste. I do hope you try it!! And thank you, as always, for your kind comment. ;o)
Pine nuts I can do. I've been adding wheat germ to some of my breads lately, so I think I'll use your idea of adding it to the crust along with the barley flour. I've added this great sounding recipe to my list to try!
I actually think that pine nuts might even be better, as they have a sort of savoriness to them that could go really well with the dark chocolate and the vanilla-pound-cake-flavored filling. . . not to mention, they'd be unexpected. Go for it!! ;o)
Thank you, Sally! I can taste and smell the fragrance and remember the texture of Mother's cassata as I sit here tonight . . . . and I can see us making it, too. Very, very good memories, indeed. ;o) P.S. Do you remember, did she make her sour cream cake in loaves for this?
This looks wonderful. Love that you were inspired by cassata cake, one of my all-time favorite desserts.
Hey, thanks so much, Midge. You know, I've never seen Cassata alla Siciliana on a restaurant menu or in a pasticceria in the US or anywhere else, nor have I been served it at any dinner party other than those my mother's. It seems that cassata hasn't received the recognition it deserves, given its deliciousness. Pound cake, liqueur-flavored ricotta, and just a bit of dark chocolate . . . . what's not to love?! ;o)
Come to the think of it, I haven't either. The cake I grew up with though is a very Americanized version, almost like a trifle, made by my Italian grandmother. But I love it!
There's a version of Cassata at Papa Haydn in Portland. It uses coffee and espresso to soak the sponge cake, and a bittersweet chocolate ricotta filling. It's good, but your version sounds better!
Yes, I've heard that many Americans make it with a sponge cake instead of a pound cake, which would make it much lighter and more like a trifle. I think the buttery, lemon-scented, ricotta-soaked pound cake is what makes the dessert unique, which is why I tried to replicate that in the ricotta layer here. ;o)
HLA that cassata at Papa Haydn's sounds good, but it doesn't sound like a cassata to me . . . . though I am admittedly no expert. The plain pound cake and the little bits of orange peel with the little bits of chocolate, in that white ricotta background, are what make it so good. But hey, I love creativity and interpretation and extrapolation, so more power to Papa Haydn. ;o)
looks wonderful, glad you got freed up to get this posted, saving it to my recipes as we speak.
Thank you so much, Mr. H. I'm honored that you're saving it!! ;o)
that cassata recipe is classic and one of my favorite desserts too. i'd make more orange peel just for this though the marmalade sounds pretty good.
You could use candied orange peel instead, or any citrus peel for that matter, but I'd use a fair bit of it, to get the citrus flavor and the chewy texture. ;o)
Thanks, TF! I have to agree with BigBear that it turned out particularly well . . . . . ;o)
It is a gorgeous tart!
Thank you, HK!! You noticed . . . . .;o)
Wow! This looks awesome! I can't think of any other way to put it!
Thanks so much, fiveandspice. According to the two other family members who made short work of it with a lot of happy food-eating sounds, it tastes pretty good, too. ;o)
The jam on the bottom is killer. Quite possibly one of your best desserts, ever.
Thank you so much. Glad you liked it. ;o)
Thank you, Dr. B! ;o)
Wow, AJ! Your talent amazes me as always.
Thanks, HLA! The feeling is mutual, of course. ;o)
This sounds delicious! I'm tempted to try it with some homemade hearty kiwi jam I have in the pantry.
Oh, that sounds divine . . . .. just the though of the tart kiwi + dark chocolate makes my mouth water. But wait, you said Kiwi Jam?? I've never made kiwi jam, and the kiwis at the market are just gorgeous these days! I feel a project coming on . . . . . ;o)
If you make some, AJ, you gotta post it!!
Leah is the author of The Hadassah Everyday Cookbook on seasonal Jewish cooking.
This is utterly amazing and I love your little touch of buttermilk in there too!