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Authentic Cassata Recipe
Sicily, Italy
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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Even though it probably originated as a simple egg, sugar, and ricotta cheesecake, today’s cassata is a complex cake made with liqueur-soaked sponge cake layered with sweetened ricotta cheese which is typically studded with candied fruit, various jellies, and sometimes even chocolate. Unlike its frozen store-bought counterpart, which is filled with ice cream, genuine Italian cassata is always filled with fresh cheese and served chilled. The filling can be flavored with various sweet liqueurs, while the base for cassata consists of pan di Spagna, a kind of Genoise sponge cake, which can either be prepared a few days in advance or bought ready-made. Cassata is traditionally sugar-glazed and lavishly decorated with candied fruit, Baroque sugar icing garnishes, flourishes of marzipan fruit, rosettes, flowers, and curlicues.
Pair with
Cooking tips
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ricotta
For a genuine cassata, ricotta di pecora, which is made with whole sheep’s milk, is preferred, but any other ricotta cheese will do as well. However, when making cassata, full-fat ricotta is a must. Avoid low-fat versions as they make the cake filling quite watery and runny. -
pan di spagna
Like Genoise cake, pan di Spagna is also made without any leavening agent; the volume comes entirely from beaten egg whites carefully folded into the batter so that the captured air is not lost. You can use a store-bought pan di Spagna or make one yourself. However, in the case of cassata, it's best to use stale pan di Spagna, meaning you should make it a few days in advance. Besides Genoise sponge ... Read more -
icing
Because icing dries very quickly, it's important to work fast once it is poured over the cassata. Use a spatula to smooth it out. Alternatively, for a more intense green, you can leave the marzipan parts uncovered. -
cassata pan
Cassata should be assembled in a special pan with flared sides and a slightly raised bottom which should be either dusted with icing sugar or lined with cling film before use for an easier unmoulding. -
candied fruits & decoration
By definition, cassata is a lavishly decorated cheesecake. Besides icing, the top is ornately decorated with various candied fruits such as cherries, oranges, pears, and a Sicilian specialty zuccata (candied pumpkin). In addition to candied fruits, cassata is also decorated with embellishments made with royal icing. -
assembling cassata
There is no one correct way to assemble cassata. It can have sides made entirely of marzipan or of alternating marzipan and spongecake pieces. In some cases, cassata is covered entirely with a layer of green-colored marzipan, which is done after unmoulding. Usually, cassata is a double-layer cake but can have more layers, depending on the recipe. Also, once assembled, it should be refrigerated for ... Read more
Recipe variations
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Cassata al Forno
Ready in 2d 3hThis recipe gives instructions on how to prepare cassata al forno or oven-baked cassata, a precursor to today's cassata Siciliana. The ricotta cream should be made two days ahead of time, while the baked cassata should rest overnight and then be served the following day. If stored in a cool and dry place, cassata al forno can keep up to a week.
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Cassata Siciliana
Ready in 6h 40minAdapted from VisitSicily.info, the official tourism website of Sicily, this recipe gives instructions on how to make an authentic Sicilian cassata. Take into account that you should start some preparations ahead of time, like letting the pan di Spagna go stale and draining the ricotta.
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Cassata Siciliana with Chocolate and Rum
Ready in 4hThis elaborate cassata recipe shows how to make the classic Sicilian cassata from scratch, including the preparation of sponge cake, marzipan, filling, as well as royal icing. The ricotta should be drained and sieved the night before the preparation day, and the following day, it is sweetened and mixed with chocolate chips. The sides of the cake have 14 alternating trapezoids of green marzipan and sponge cake. The whole cake is covered in royal icing, topped with candied fruit, and garnished with royal icing ornaments and silver cachous.
Cassata al Forno
PREP 1h
COOK 40min
RESTING 2d 2h
READY IN 2d 3h
This recipe gives instructions on how to prepare cassata al forno or oven-baked cassata, a precursor to today's cassata Siciliana. The ricotta cream should be made two days ahead of time, while the baked cassata should rest overnight and then be served the following day. If stored in a cool and dry place, cassata al forno can keep up to a week.
Ingredients
SHORTCRUST PASTRY
400g (14 oz) all-purpose flour
200g (7 oz) sugar
30g (1 oz) almond flour
200g (7 oz) butter
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tsp of vanilla
1/2 sachet of baking powder
lemon zest
a pinch of salt
RICOTTA FILLING
500g (1.1 lbs) fresh sheep ricotta
200g (7 oz) sugar
70g (2.5 oz) finely chopped almonds (optional)
100g (3.5 oz) chocolate chips
5 candied orange peel, finely chopped
cinnamon
confectioners' sugar, for decoration
Preparation
Step 1/6
Place the ricotta in a colander to drain overnight in the refrigerator. The following day, mix the ricotta with sugar until it dissolves, then blend in the almonds, chocolate chips, cinnamon, and candied orange. Cover the ricotta and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Step 2/6
The following day, make the shortcrust pastry. Mix flour, sugar, almond flour, baking powder and salt, then mound the mixture on a working surface. Add the softened butter cut into small pieces, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Knead until you have a smooth dough. Shape it into a ball, wrap it in cling film, and refrigerate for an hour.
Step 3/6
Grease and flour a 24 cm (9.5-inch) baking mold. Divide the shortcrust pastry in half, then roll out one half on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 0.5 cm (1/4-inch).
Step 4/6
Cover the bottom and the sides of the mold with the pastry. Trim off any excess and add it to the remaining half of the pastry dough. Knead to incorporate, then roll out into a circle 24 cm (9.5-inch) in diameter.
Step 5/6
Fill the mold with ricotta cream, smooth out the top, and then cover with the rolled-out circle of pastry that you've prepared. Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C/350°F for about 40 minutes.
Step 6/6
Once baked, take out of the oven and set aside to cool completely, then invert it onto a serving dish. Sprinkle with icing sugar and let it rest overnight. Serve the following day.
Other Variations
-
Cassata Siciliana
Ready in 6h 40minAdapted from VisitSicily.info, the official tourism website of Sicily, this recipe gives instructions on how to make an authentic Sicilian cassata. Take into account that you should start some preparations ahead of time, like letting the pan di Spagna go stale and draining the ricotta.
-
Cassata Siciliana with Chocolate and Rum
Ready in 4hThis elaborate cassata recipe shows how to make the classic Sicilian cassata from scratch, including the preparation of sponge cake, marzipan, filling, as well as royal icing. The ricotta should be drained and sieved the night before the preparation day, and the following day, it is sweetened and mixed with chocolate chips. The sides of the cake have 14 alternating trapezoids of green marzipan and sponge cake. The whole cake is covered in royal icing, topped with candied fruit, and garnished with royal icing ornaments and silver cachous.
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