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Baked Cassata

17/11/2023

Baked cassata is a baked variation of the more famous Sicilian cassata, and it’s full of delicious ingredients like ricotta and chocolate chips. Here is the recipe to prepare it:

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry:

  • 300 g of type 00 flour
  • 150 g of cold butter, cut into pieces
  • 120 g of sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon

For the filling:

  • 500 g of sheep’s milk ricotta (if possible, drained)
  • 150 g of sugar
  • 100 g of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 vial of vanilla essence or the seeds of 1 vanilla pod
  • Grated zest of 1 orange (optional)
  • Chopped candied fruit (optional)

Preparation

  1. Shortcrust pastry: In a large bowl, mix the flour and sugar. Add the butter in pieces and work the dough with your fingertips until it becomes a sandy mixture. Add the egg, egg yolk, and lemon zest, then quickly knead until a smooth dough is formed. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

  2. Filling: Sieve the ricotta into a bowl and mix with the sugar. Add the egg, egg yolks, and vanilla, continuing to mix until homogeneous. Gently fold in the chocolate chips (and candied fruit if using), then set aside.

  3. Assembly: Roll out three quarters of the shortcrust pastry on a lightly floured surface to line the bottom and sides of a round cake tin (preferably with a removable base) already buttered and floured. Pour the ricotta mixture into the tin.

  4. Topping: Roll out the rest of the shortcrust pastry and cut it into strips or use a decorative pastry cutter. Lay the strips over the ricotta filling to create a lattice.

  5. Baking: Preheat the oven to 180 °C and bake the cassata for about 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the filling is well cooked.

  6. Cooling and serving: Allow to cool completely before removing from the mould. If desired, dust with icing sugar before serving.

Curiosity

The baked cassata can be considered a simpler and quicker version of the traditional Sicilian cassata, which requires the use of sponge cake and marzipan. Moreover, the lattice of shortcrust pastry makes it particularly attractive on holiday tables, such as during Easter.

Baked Cassata