Ingredients serve 6.

For the sponge cake

3 eggs separated

125gr caster sugar

3 tablespoon hot water

125gr plain flour

1 teasepoon baking powder

For the filling

1kg ricotta

200gr caster sugar

4 tablespoon water

½ teasepoon ground cinnamon

450 Mixed peel, chopped

80gr plain chocolate , chopped

12 maraschino liquor

¼ ground cinnamon to decorate

Some cherry halves to decorate

1tablespoon plain chocolate to decorate

method

Grease a 26cm spring cake tin with butter . line in a baking paper a grease the paper with butter . Swift the flour with the baking powder into the bowl . Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form . place the egg yolks and the sugar in the bowl and whisk for 1 minute . Add the lemon zest and the hot water and whisk for 3 minutes or until; light and fluffy . gently fold the flour into the egg yolk mixture and then fold it in a stiffly beaten egg whites . Mix gently.  Pour gently into the prepared baking tin and level the top.   Bake cake as golden in color and cooked through. Bring out of the oven on a wire rack Wash the cake tin and dry it well. 

Place the ricotta in the bowl . Dissolve the sugar in the 3 tablespoons water over the low heat . Leave to cool and then beat it into the ricotta until well blended.  Beat in the ground cinnamon . reserve 10 tablespoons of the mixture for decoration . still the chopped mixed peel and chocolate in the mixture and mix well.

Line the base and sides of the cake tin with baking paper . cut the sponge in half horizontally . Place half of the sponge cut side up on the base on a tined tin . sprinkle with 6 tablespoon maraschino . Spoon in all the ricotta mixture and level the surface with a spatula Place the other sponge layer on top , cut side down . Sprinkle the rest of the maraschino over the sponge and refrigerate for 8hours . Bring the gateau  out of the tin and spread some reserved ricotta mixture on top . Decorate as desired with some ricotta mixture , cinnamon , cherries and some grated chocolate.

• Uncategorized