Italian Ricotta Cake
Italian Ricotta Cake: (12-16 slices)
Crust:
- 3 1/4 cups plain flour
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup almond meal
- 1 egg, beaten lightly
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla essence
- 250g very cod butter, cut in cubes
Filling:
- 800g dry ricotta cheese, pureed in food process
- 1/2 cup praline (optional)
- 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
- 30mls dark rum(sugar cane)
- 60g dark chocolate, cut in fine chunks
- 1 cup caster sugar
- icing sugar to finish
To make the crust:
In a food processor mix together the flour, baking powder, sugar, almond meal, egg and vanilla. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. If your processor is small you may have to do this in two batches. It can also be done by hand or in a mixer. Place crumb mixture in a bowl and refrigerate. Line a 23cm spring form cake tin with a single sheet of foil-press well into corners and butte the foil.
To make the filling:
Combine the ricotta, optional praline, pine nuts, rum, chocolate and sugar in a bowl. To assemble the cake, press half crust mixture into a layer in the prepared pan. Cover with all the ricotta filling, then gently spoon over the remaining topping and spreed evenly. Baked in a preheated 180C oven for approximately 1 hour or until the top of the cake has risen slightly, and it is a golden brown color. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in pan. Refrigerate overnight. Remove pan from refrigerator and allow tor each room temperature before serving.
To serve:
Unmould cake on a platter and sift a thick layer of icing sugar over the top-serve cut in slices.
