toasted sliced almonds around the sides, and decorated with swirls of cream, stemmed marachino cherries, and the chocolate dust.
Neapolitan Cherry Ricotta Cake (Zuppa Inglese Napoletana)
Recipe By :Nancy Verde Barr
Serving Size : 10
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate -- or semisweet chocolate
2 pounds ricotta cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
5 tablespoons dark rum
1 Sponge Cake "Maddalena" -- with lemon rind baked in a 9-inch round cake or springform pan (Recipe Below)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup rum
1 cup cherries in syrup -- imported cherries in rum, drained
Break the chocolate into pieces and pulsate in a food processor until broken into small bits. Sift the chocolate bits, reserving the chocolate powder and the bits in the sifter separately.
Push the ricotta through a sieve into a bowl or into a food processor bowl. Add the sugar and beat until smooth. Add the rum and blend. Fold in the chocolate bits.
Make the syrup: cook the sugar and water in a small heavy pot over low heat, swirling the pan occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Mix in the rum.
Cut the "Maddalena" into 3 even layers. Brush the top of the bottom layer with the rum syrup and put it into a 9-inch springform pan, flavored side up. Spread half the ricotta mixture over the cake. Spread half the cherries over the cheese. Brush both sides of the middle cake layer with the rum syrup and place over the first layer.
Cover with the remaining cheese and cherries. Brush the bottom side of the top layer of cake with the rum syrup and place, flavored side down, on top of the second layer. Sprinkle the chocolate powder on top. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight
Source:
"We Called It Macaroni"
NOTES : Jars of steeped cherries from Bari are aften available in Italian specialty markets, but the recipe works perfectly well with one 16 1/2-ounce can pitted cherries, drained and steeped overnight in rum and drained, or one 12 ounce-jar morello cherry jam (amerena).
Sponge Cake "Maddalena"
4 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind -- or orange rind
1 cup sifted cake flour
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Generously butter the bottom and the sides of a cake pan. Flour the bottom lightly. If you are making a sheet cake, butter the bottom of a 12 x 15-inch jelly-roll pan, line with wax or parchment paper, and butter and flour the paper.
Beat the eggs in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until the batter begins to swell. Add the salt, vanilla, and grated rind and beat until the batter is pale, doubled in volume, and forms a heavy ribbon.
Sift the flour onto the batter and fold in quickly but completely. Hold the bowl close to the bottom of the prepared pan and pour in the batter. Bake in the bottom third of a preheated oven until done (a round cake takes 40 minutes, a sheet cake 25 minutes). Test with a cake tester, which should be dry and feel warm to the heel of your hand. Immediately turn the cake out onto a cake rack to cool.
Description:
""Maddalena" is what Italians call a genoise-type sponge cake, i.e.,one made with whole eggs."
Yield:
"1 12 x 15-inch jelly-roll"
NOTES : Make one 9-inch round cake or one 12 x 15 sheet cake. Use a high sided pan or a springform because this makes a high cake layer.
Neapolitan Cherry Ricotta Cake (Zuppa Inglese Napoletana)
Recipe By :Nancy Verde Barr
Serving Size : 10
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate -- or semisweet chocolate
2 pounds ricotta cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
5 tablespoons dark rum
1 Sponge Cake "Maddalena" -- with lemon rind baked in a 9-inch round cake or springform pan (Recipe Below)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup rum
1 cup cherries in syrup -- imported cherries in rum, drained
Break the chocolate into pieces and pulsate in a food processor until broken into small bits. Sift the chocolate bits, reserving the chocolate powder and the bits in the sifter separately.
Push the ricotta through a sieve into a bowl or into a food processor bowl. Add the sugar and beat until smooth. Add the rum and blend. Fold in the chocolate bits.
Make the syrup: cook the sugar and water in a small heavy pot over low heat, swirling the pan occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Mix in the rum.
Cut the "Maddalena" into 3 even layers. Brush the top of the bottom layer with the rum syrup and put it into a 9-inch springform pan, flavored side up. Spread half the ricotta mixture over the cake. Spread half the cherries over the cheese. Brush both sides of the middle cake layer with the rum syrup and place over the first layer.
Cover with the remaining cheese and cherries. Brush the bottom side of the top layer of cake with the rum syrup and place, flavored side down, on top of the second layer. Sprinkle the chocolate powder on top. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight
Source:
"We Called It Macaroni"
NOTES : Jars of steeped cherries from Bari are aften available in Italian specialty markets, but the recipe works perfectly well with one 16 1/2-ounce can pitted cherries, drained and steeped overnight in rum and drained, or one 12 ounce-jar morello cherry jam (amerena).
Sponge Cake "Maddalena"
4 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind -- or orange rind
1 cup sifted cake flour
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Generously butter the bottom and the sides of a cake pan. Flour the bottom lightly. If you are making a sheet cake, butter the bottom of a 12 x 15-inch jelly-roll pan, line with wax or parchment paper, and butter and flour the paper.
Beat the eggs in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until the batter begins to swell. Add the salt, vanilla, and grated rind and beat until the batter is pale, doubled in volume, and forms a heavy ribbon.
Sift the flour onto the batter and fold in quickly but completely. Hold the bowl close to the bottom of the prepared pan and pour in the batter. Bake in the bottom third of a preheated oven until done (a round cake takes 40 minutes, a sheet cake 25 minutes). Test with a cake tester, which should be dry and feel warm to the heel of your hand. Immediately turn the cake out onto a cake rack to cool.
Description:
""Maddalena" is what Italians call a genoise-type sponge cake, i.e.,one made with whole eggs."
Yield:
"1 12 x 15-inch jelly-roll"
NOTES : Make one 9-inch round cake or one 12 x 15 sheet cake. Use a high sided pan or a springform because this makes a high cake layer.