Cassata Cake

Easy Italian Dessert Recipes

This Cassata Cake is one of those easy Italian dessert recipes that never fails to please. It is pivotal that you use cream when making the custard for this Cassata Cake - I have tried using milk but the mixture is too fragile and runs the risk of curdling easily. This is one of those pretty Christmas dessert recipes and a good alternative if you are celebrating in hot climes.

In addition to the glace fruit, you may add ½ cup of pecan or pistachio nuts. When choosing glace fruit choose figs, ginger, orange or pineapple - you want glace fruit that has flavor. I prefer using grated dark chocolate but chocolate chips are easier to use. I also prefer using liqueur such as Cointreau or even a chocolate or coffee liqueur, but this pushes the price of the dessert up. Brandy works fine, but the liqueur adds to the intensity of the taste.

Ingredients:

Method:

1. Line a loaf tin with foil.
2. Soak the glace cherries, glace fruit and raisins in the brandy or liqueur.
3. Using an electric beater, beat the egg yolks. Slowly add the sugar until the mixture is thick and pale.
4. Bring 2 cups of cream to scalding point. This is just below boiling point. You will see little bubbles appearing around the edge of your pot.
5. Pour the scalded cream over the beaten egg and sugar mixture. Transfer this mixture to the pot and heat VERY GENTLY. Allow the mixture to cook through but DON'T LET IT BOIL or else you will land up with a kind of scrambled egg. You are making a custard here, and it will be ready when it is thick and just coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and cool. The quickest way to do this is to plunge the pot into a basin of cold water. Repeat the process and stir the custard gently to release the heat.
6. Beat the remaining 2 cups of cream until fairly stiff. It should resemble soft peaks. Avoid overbeating.
7. Fold the cream into the cooled custard.
8. Add the glace cherries, glace fruit, raisins, brandy and chocolate chips (and optionally, nuts). Fold in gently.
9. Pour gently into the lined loaf tin. Freeze overnight or for at least 8 hours.
10. After about 2 - 3 hours, stir the cassata ice-cream so that you distribute the fruit evenly. Make sure that it is not all lying at the bottom. Smooth the top of the ice-cream. Refreeze.
11. 10 minutes before serving, remove the Cassata Cake from the freezer. Turn onto a serving platter. Discard the foil. Allow to soften slightly and then serve in slices.