Cassata

Episode 33 - Cassata

Serves 10 – 12

Ingredients:

  • Almond Layer
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • 1 cup of icing sugar, sifted
  • 1 cup of cream
  • A few drops of almond essence
  • Chocolate Layer
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • 1 cup of icing sugar, sifted
  • 1 cup of cream
  • 150g of couverture chocolate
  • 4 tbsp of cocoa
  • 4 tbsp of hot water
  • Fruit & Nut Layer
  • 2 cups of cream
  • 2 teaspoons of vanilla
  • 2 egg whites
  • 8 tablespoons of icing sugar, sifted
  • 100g of glace cherries, chopped
  • 100g of dried apricots, chopped
  • 100g of flaked almonds, toasted

Method:

Almond Layer:

  1. Beat egg whites until firm. Beat in an icing sugar one spoon full at a time.
  2. Fold in lightly beaten egg yolks.
  3. Beat cream with almond essence until soft peaks form.
  4. Gently fold egg and cream mixture together. Pour in a 28 cm (10 in) round cake tin.
  5. Freeze until firm

Chocolate Layer:

  1. Place chopped chocolate in a double saucepan. Melt gently.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in egg yolks.
  3. Combine cocoa and water and add to chocolate mixture. Stir.
  4. Set soft peaks form. Gently fold egg, cream and chocolate mixture together.
  5. Spread chocolate mixture over the almond layer. Freeze until firm.

Fruit and Nut Layer:

  1. Beat egg whites until firm. Beat in icing sugar one spoon full at a time.
  2. Beat cream and vanilla until firm peaks form.
  3. Gently fold egg and cream mixture together.
  4. Stir in fruit and nut mixture.
  5. Spread fruit and nut mixture over the chocolate layer. Freeze Until firm.
  6. To remove cassata, run a spatula around the edge of the cake tin. Run a hot cloth over the bottom and sides of the tin and turn onto a serving plate.