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Sicilian Cooking

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Cassatine Almond paste 2

Cassatine with Almond Paste

The Cassatine are another by-product of the Virgin’s breasts pastries: they are miniature Cassate Siciliane and…. with the help of a fertile fantasy they resemble a women breast: and in fact, they are topped with a cherry to resemble a woman’s nipple. The Cassatine baked in pastry shops are made with a round piece of sponge cake, stuffed with ricotta cream and surrounded by green almond paste (pasta reale), coated with lemon icing and each garnished with a candied citron and cherry. Because to shape the Cassatine are needed special molds, Once you have all the ingredients ready, it should be easy to make the Cassatine.

  • Yield6 Cassatine
  • Sicilian DessertsCassatine with Almond Paste

    Ingredients

    • 6 slices of sponge 4”X 4”, ½ inch thick (prepare the pan di Spagna recipe). 
    • 1/2 portion of ricotta cream recipe
    • 2 ½ oz. Marzipan (almond paste) tinted green
    • 2 tablespoon of powdered sugar (for glace and dusting)
    • Juice of 1 lemon
    • Few slices of candied citron
    • 2 candied or maraschino cherries for garnish

    Equipment needed:

    • 2 Round molds 1¼ inch high and 4 inches wide, narrowing to the bottom to 3 ½ inches.
    • If you don’t have the molds, use tart tins or molds cut out from plastic glasses or containers.

    Instructions

    1

    THE MARZIPAN
    Dust working counter with powdered sugar, rollout the marzipan and mix in a few drops of water some green food coloring and blend into the marzipan a little at a time, until it is a homogeneous pale green color. Wrap it in plastic film and storage in the refrigerator; do it a day ahead.

    2

    THE RICOTTA CREAM AND SPONGE
    Prepare the 1/2 portion of ricotta cream recipe ahead of time. 

    Prepare the sponge cake recipe (pan di Spagna) .

    3

    THE CASSATINE
    Prepare the molds by lining it with a film of plastic wrap, extending it a few inches over the side. Lay down the sponge in the cutting board and with a sharp, serrated knife cut into one inch wide slices. Dust working counter with powdered sugar, rollout the marzipan ¼ inch thick and cut into strips to cover the sides of the molds.

    Cover bottom with sliced sponge and spoon into each mold 1 tablespoon of ricotta cream. Add any additional cream; however leave enough room to finish with a layer of sponge.

    Store overnight in the refrigerator to allow the ricotta cream and the pan di spagna to join together their taste and for the Cassatine to get firm.

    4

    THE LEMON GLAZE
    Place 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar in a small bowl, mix in a few drops of lemon juice, whisk and add juice until flowing and smooth.

    5

    TO FINISH
    Place a small dish or a cardboard on top of each mold and turn the cassatine upside down, carefully removing the mold and the plastic wrap. Spread on each cassatina a thin layer of glace and with the help of a spatula cover the top completely. Garnish with a red candied cherry and candied citron.