So here goes the cake:
The best compliment a cook can receive
is in the primitive sounds of hooos, haaaas and mmms of the people eating his food.
Make this cake and you'll know what I'm talking about!
It looks more complicated than actually is and once you've mastered it you can play around with other combinations of flavours to suit your taste and tickle your imagination.
You will need a spring cake-tin 20 cm. (if you'd like to bake a bigger size, just do your maths or better let the kids do them for you. I bet numbers have never been so much fun!!!!!!
For the base:
100 gr. Savoiardi (boudoirs or other plain cookies).
A handful of amaretti biscuits or crushed nuts like almonds or pistachio(optional)
60gr. melted butter
For the filling:
40 gr. butter, soft
100 gr. light brown sugar
2 eggs
400 gr. fresh sheep ricotta, if available, if not use the cow version
150 ml. double cream (40% fat)
150ml. Limoncello liquor
A bit of honey
50gr. or so of almond’s slivers
100 gr. of white chocolate
Pre-heat the oven at 180°/gas mark 4
Line the base of the cake tin with oven paper and butter its sides.
Crush the Savoiardi and Amaretti (if using) and add the 60gr. of melted butter and mix.
Put it in the tin and with the palm of your hand and fingers press it down gently but firmly to form the base of the cake.
Bake it for 10 min.
To make the filling:
In a bowl blend together 40 gr. of butter with the sugar for 2 or 3 min.
Separate the eggs and add the yolks to the butter mix ( the whites in a separate clean bowl).
Mix it, then add the ricotta the Limoncello and the cream and continue mixing until it becomes smooth and thick.
Beat now the egg whites to hard peaks (remember to always use a clean whisk when doing this) and gently fold them into the ricotta mix trying to keep most of the air in.
Pour the whole mixture onto the prepared base, cover the top with some oven paper (to stop it over browning) and bake on the middle shelf of your oven for 40/45 min.
Wait at least 10/15 min before opening the spring and don’t panic if it looks a bit wobbly, as it cools it will set.
Transfer the cake onto a serving plate.
While the oven is still warm put in the white chocolate to melt, it should take only a few minutes
To decorate, spread a little of the honey on the side and stick, to it, the almond slivers (it's a bit of a sticky job but a sweet one!! )
Take the chocolate from the oven give it a stir and now with the help of a spoon drizzle it on top of the cake in a abstract fashion (maybe the kids would love to do that so then they can have the bowl to lick)
I forget to say that the cake needs to be cold before you can play around with the chocolate or it will just melt and spread...unless that's the result you want of course!
This is not an exact science just play and have fun with it.
An other interesting bit of information is that it freezes extremely well.
Just bake it for an extra 10 to 15/20 min. according to the size.
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