Kaf Chocolate Cassata Cake Food

CHOCOLATE CASSATA

Steps:

• Frosting: Place chocolate, butter and espresso in a small heatproof bowl or the top of a double boiler. Set over gently simmering water, with the bottom not the touching water. Stir until melted, smooth and combined.
• Remove from heat and refrigerate until firm, stirring every 15 minutes, about 1 hour.
• Filling: In a bowl, stir together the ricotta, sugar and orange zest. Using a grater, grate the chocolate chunk into the bowl and fold into the ricotta.
• Assembly: Using a serrated knife, slice the pound cake horizontally to form 3 equal layers. Place 1 layer on a flat plate and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons orange liqueur. Spread 1/2 of the ricotta mixture on top.
• Top with second layer layer, sprinkle with remaining orange liqueur and spread with the rest of the ricotta. Place 3rd cake layer on top.
• Using a narrow spatula, frost top and sides with the cooled chocolate mixture.
• Refrigerate until serving time but no longer than 8 hours.

KAF CHOCOLATE CASSATA CAKE

Steps:

• CAKE:.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F Lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan.
• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, baking powder, espresso powder, and cocoa to make a sandy, somewhat clumpy mixture. Don't worry; the eggs will smooth things out.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl midway through this process.
• Add half the flour to the bowl, beating at low speed to combine.
• Add all of the milk, beating at low speed to combine.
• Add the remaining flour, beating gently just until the batter is smooth.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake the cake for about 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The top may look a tiny bit damp; that's OK. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the center will register 210°F to 215°F, while just under the top will register about 198°F to 200°F.
• Remove the cake from the oven, loosen the edges, wait 10 minutes, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool.
• Store completely cooled cake well wrapped, at room temperature, until ready to fill and frost.
• FILLING:.
• Stir together the ricotta, sugar, vanilla, and chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Frosting:.
• Sift the cocoa, confectioners' sugar, and espresso powder into a bowl.
• Bring the cream to a simmer on the stove or in the microwave, and whisk into the cocoa mixture. At first the mixture will look grainy; continue whisking for a minute. You'll see the lumps disappear as the sugar dissolves and the cocoa hydrates.
• Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Place the butter, salt, and sifted confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl.
• Beat until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla.
• With the mixer running on low speed, add the cocoa mixture a spoonful at a time until it's all incorporated. Scrape the bowl, then beat at medium speed for 1 minute.
• Assemble Cake:.
• Split the cake in thirds lengthwise, to make 3 layers. Brush the cut side of each layer with simple syrup or vanilla syrup; this will help keep the cake moist.
• Place the bottom layer on a serving plate. Spread with half the ricotta filling. Top with the second layer, and spread with the remaining filling. Place the third layer on top.
• Ice the cake - top and sides - with the frosting.
• Serve immediately; or refrigerate, well-wrapped, until ready to serve, preferably not longer than 24 hours. Cut in crosswise slices to serve.

CASSATA TRIFLE

Steps:

• Place the sponge fingers on a plate and drizzle over half the Marsala or orange juice and use to line the sides of a 500g loaf tin.
• Place the ricotta, mascarpone, grated chocolate, remaining Marsala or orange juice, icing sugar and mixed peel in a bowl and mix well.
• Spoon the marcarpone mixture into the loaf tin and smooth the top.
• Chill for 1-2 hours or overnight.
• To serve, turn out onto a serving plate and dredge with cocoa.

CASSATA CAKE

Steps:

• Line a fine-mesh strainer with a double layer of wet cheesecloth. Put the ricotta in a strainer and set it over a bowl. Fold the cheesecloth over the top of the ricotta. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, up to overnight. Discard the whey which collects in the bowl.
• In a stand mixer outfitted with the paddle attachment, beat the confectioners' sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and chocolate chips into the thickened ricotta on low speed until well combined. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill until needed.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F Grease and flour two 9" cake pans.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• Separate the eggs and set the whites aside. In the bowl of the stand mixer, beat the yolks until very thick and pale yellow, about 4 minutes. Gradually add the cold water, then the sugar. Beat well until sugar is dissolved. Add vanilla extract, then slowly add the sifted flour.
• Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Fold the whites into the batter carefully. Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in preheated oven 25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
• Place the remaining sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then simmer until sugar is completely dissolved. Cool to room temperature, then stir in the rum.
• Split the cake layers horizontally, to make 4 thin layers. Place one layer on a cake board or plate and drizzle or brush with rum syrup. Top with 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the filling. Place another cake layer on top, and repeat until all four layers have been placed.
• In a microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let stand five minutes. Microwave in 10 second intervals until gelatin is just dissolved, stirring after each interval. If it boils, throw it out and start over.
• Whip cream with confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form. Add melted gelatin and whip until stiff peaks form.
• Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Press sliced almonds all around the sides of the cake.

CHEWY ITALIAN ROLLS FROM KAF

Steps:

• BIGA:.
• Mix all ingredients until well blended.
• Cover bowl and let rest at room temperature for 12 to 20 hours, until very bubbly.
• DOUGH:.
• Mis biga with remaining ingredients for 2 to 4 minutes, using an electric mixer set on slow speed.
• Increase mixer speed to medium, and mix for about 4 minutes; the dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
• Add additional water or flour if necessary.
• Let dough rise in greased, covered bowl, for 1 to 2 hours, until very puffy.
• Turn dough out onto well floured surface, and shape it into a 6"x12" square.
• Using a bench knife or pizza wheel, cut out eight 3" square rolls.
• Place rolls, floured side up onto parchment paper.
• Cover rolls and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until puffy.
• Place a baking stone in the top third of oven, and preheat oven to 450.
• Bake the rolls for 13 to 15 minutes, until they are golden brown.
• Remove from oven and cool on rack.

EASY NO- BAKE CASSATA CAKE

Steps:

• Take the angel food cakes and cut each into three layers by making two evenly spaced cuts.
• Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, blend the ricotta half the chips and the sugar together.
• On a large cake tray, place the a layer of cake, top it with the ricotta cheese (cassatta cream) mixture.
• Alternate cake and cream until you have joined three layers.
• I often add an extra layer of cassatta cream on the top layer since I usually have leftovers and it will be covered by whipped cream anyway.
• Take another large bowl and beaters, chilled if I remember to do that, and whip your cream.
• Cover the entire cake in fluffy white whipped cream and serve or refrigerate.
• The cake will only stay looking pretty for a day or so although it will remain edible for a few more days than that.

SICILIAN CASSATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325F.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks; adding sugar gradually.
• Add butter.
• Sift dry ingredients and add alternately with milk; mix.
• Add vanilla and mix.
• Fold in beaten egg whites.
• Pour batter into greased and floured 10X16-inch jelly roll pan.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
• DO NOT over bake as it will not roll.
• Turn out onto a clean dish towel sprinkled thickly with powdered sugar.
• Trim off all edges with a knife.
• Roll the cake in a towel and let stand a few minutes.
• While you let the cake, prepare the filling.
• Put ricotta cheese through a sieve to remove all lumps.
• Add cream, sugar, cinnamon and liqueur and beat until smooth.
• Fold in candied fruit, nuts and chocolate chips.
• Unroll the towel and spread with filling.
• Reroll and refrigerate for 4 hours to"ripen".
• Slice when ready to serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar.