Cassatine

I can describe how to prepare delicious cassatine, miniature versions of the famous Sicilian cassata. Cassatine are sweet treats composed of sponge cake, sweetened ricotta, royal paste (marzipan), and sugar icing, often decorated with candied fruit.

Ingredients

For the sponge cake:

• 120 g of flour 00
• 120 g of sugar
• 4 eggs
• Grated zest of 1 lemon

For the ricotta cream:

• 500 g of sheep’s ricotta
• 150 g of powdered sugar
• 50 g of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
• 50 g of mixed candied fruits, chopped (optional)

For the topping and decoration:

• Royal paste (marzipan) as needed
• Sugar icing
• Chocolate chips and candied fruit for decoration

Preparation

1. Begin with the preparation of the sponge cake. Whip the eggs with the sugar until you have a frothy and light mixture. Add the sifted flour and grated lemon zest, gently folding from the bottom up to not deflate the mixture.
2. Pour the mixture into a baking pan (or individual molds if you have them) lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool completely.
3. For the ricotta cream, pass the ricotta through a sieve to make it smooth and creamy, then mix with the powdered sugar. Add the chocolate chips and, if desired, the chopped mixed candied fruits.
4. Cut the sponge cake into discs of the desired size (for cassatine, small and round shapes are usually used) and line them with a thin layer of royal paste cut to the same measure.
5. Add a layer of ricotta cream and cover with another sponge cake disc. Spread the surface with sugar icing and let it harden.
6. Decorate the cassatine with chocolate chips and candied fruit, placing them on the still soft icing.
7. Place the cassatine in the fridge for at least one hour before serving, so that they set well.

Curiosity

Cassatine are a miniature reinterpretation of the Sicilian cassata, a dessert that reflects the history of cultural influences in Sicily: the Arabic mixture of ricotta and candied fruits, Sponge cake of Spanish origin, and royal paste, a legacy from French patisserie, all combined in a dessert that has become a symbol of the island’s confectionery.