Cassata

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I have seen many different recipes for Sicilian Cassata but this one is the REAL one. It is incomplete since they recipe for the filling (Crema di Ricotta, which is just Cannoli filling made with *Impastata Ricotta was not included. The icing must be heavy and thick, not a thin glaze so be sure to add extra confectioners sugar if it seems too thin. Also this is sometimes made with rum instead of orange liqueur.

*Impastata, the Mercedes Benz of Riccota, has the lowest water content of any ricotta cheese which is needed when making a dish that requires a firmer ricotta, such as cannoli or Cassata.

My family is from Italy and we make both cannoli and cassata from scratch every year for Christmas. This cake is known as the Sicilian Christmas Cake. This is a Very rich and heavy dessert but soooooo good. Since this dessert is so heavy, only a very thin slice is needed, allowing this dessert to serve many at holiday parties.

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The cake is nice and spongy but very heavy. It soaks in the syrup well. The syrup is very thin, almost like water. The icing is TOO THIN. I recommend adding powdered sugar, vanilla, and some regular sugar to the ricotta. Also, I substituted rum and liquid from orange marmalade and a very, very, very small bit of orange flower water instead of the orange liqueur and it turned out fine. Overall, a fun recipe to make but next time I'm using fondant.

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For you non-Italians - Ricotta crema is the same as the filling for cannolis. It is ricotta sweetened with powdered sugar. You can add tiny chocolate chips, pistachios and/or candied fruit. Just look up a good cannoli cream recipe. Hope that helps
Only made it 3 stars because recipe is incomplete.

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Excellent taste. Terrible writing and instructions. Awful and confusing instructions.

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I haven't made this cake yet, but I too searched for Crema di Ricotta and found the Mario Batali recipe mentioned here. That wasn't sweetened but was served with something sweet. Thus I then searched Cassata Siciliana and found a recipe that added sugar and a little vanilla to the ricotta. I plan to do that. This same recipe also had the eggs separated and the whites beaten to stiff peaks with a little salt and folded in last. That might lighten the cake to the desired texture "inaccurate" is looking for. I will do that as well. I also wish to thank Lynn for the web address for ellenskitchen.com. I'm off to that sight next. Finally, this recipe is a bit murky about how to get the almond paste around the sides. Any suggestions? I did see a recipe that had you line the baking pan with plastic and adding the trimmed cake and crema layers back in, weighing with a plate and then refrigerating.

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My family never used Creme di ricotta for Cassata! Plus the recipe for this filling is not included.

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I have made this recipe before, and it is excellent! I used the lemoncilo instead. Also the Crema Di Ricotta is simply Ricotta cheese and Mascarpone. No goat cheese. In addition the fruit that was used, look to be Glaceed not candied. You can make your own glazed fruit, simply go to www.ellenskitchen.com/pantry/glaceed.html or just www.ellenskitchen.com it's a great recipe but will take some time to make. Hope this helps...

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this is a wonderful 5 star recipe that has been given incomplete.
We are left to guess about the ricotta cream.
I found a ricotta cream recipe by Mario Batali but it leaves me with more questions. Is there a ricotta cream specifically for pastry without goat cheese? or is it the same accross the board?
Also we are given no recipe or resources for the candied fruit.
Another thing is, on the show the sponge cake was moistened with lemoncelo but in the FoodTV recipe it is an orange sugar syrup.
Please address this issues so we too can enjoy this dessert the way it was meant to be.

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THIS RECIPIE LOOKS AND SOUNDS GREAT. MY QUESTION IS....WHERE DO YOU FIND THE CANDIED FRUIT? CAN YOU PURCHASE THIS ANYWHERE?

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For the Crema di Ricotta, you can use all ricotta cheese or 2/3 ricotta and 1/3 mascarpone cheese.