Strawberry & Cream Celebration Cake

Strawberry & Cream Celebration Cake

This, for me, is the best celebration cake ever. I love the combination of the light sponge, the pastry cream, the whipping cream and the strawberries (what else can you ask for??). Now that strawberries are not in season, you could also make it without them, it is still delicious, trust me. It’s also perfect for children, as the sponge is moisten with sugar and orange syrup. Otherwise if you prefer a nice kick, you can use a mixture of limoncello and water (in equal parts), even better!

Ingredients (for a 24cm round tin) 

For the sponge

• Eggs, 5 (at room temperature)
• Caster sugar, 150g
• Flour 00, 150g
• Grated zest of a lemon
• A pinch of salt

For the pastry cream

• Whole Milk, 500ml
• Eggs, 6 (medium, and at room temperature)
• Caster sugar, 140g
• Flour 00, 80g
• A vanilla pod
• A pinch of salt

For the syrup (to moisten the sponge)

• Water, 150ml
• Caster sugar, 100g
• The juice of 2 oranges

For the decoration

• Fresh strawberries, 500g
• Fresh whipping cream, 600ml
• Caster sugar

Another decoration idea

Directions

Preparing the Pastry Cream
In a saucepan, bring the milk to the boil with the vanilla pod (and the seeds scraped out into the milk). Allow to cool slightly and remove the vanilla pod. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar. Sift the plain flour, add it to the egg mixture and mix thoroughly. Pour the milk onto the egg mix, whisking continuously. Return to a clean pan and stir with a wooden spatula, bringing it to the boil over a gentle heat until it starts to thicken. Remove from the heat, transfer the pastry cream into a clean bowl and place some clingfilm over the surface. The clingfilm will prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate and chill completely.
Making the sponge
Heat the oven to 180°C. In a large bowl mix the eggs, the sugar, the grated lemon zest and a pinch of salt. Beat the mixture until very soft and fluffy, for at least 20 minutes! I normally use a kitchen mixer, but an electric handheld one will do. This is key to the success of this recipe, and to obtain a very light sponge. Please remember that you are not using any raising agents, this is why you have to incorporate a lot of air into the mixture. Sift the flour (I usually sift it twice). Fold the flour in, very slowly and gently, a bit at a time, with upward movements. Butter and flour the cake tin. Transfer the mixture very gently into the tin, and bake for about 35/40 minutes. Test the cake by inserting a clean toothpick into the middle of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. Let cool completely.
Preparing the syrup
In a saucepan bring the cold water and the sugar to a boil. Turn the heat to low and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture is clear, approximately 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat. Add the juice of 2 oranges, stir, filter and let cool completely.
Assembling the cake
Make sure that all of the ingredients are cold. Wash the strawberries (leaving some aside for the final decoration), slice them and transfer to a bowl. Add a couple of table spoons of sugar and mix together. Leave aside.  Remove the crust of the sponge, cutting the borders, the top and the bottom. I do this as I like every bits of the cake to be soft and moisten. Don’t worry too much about the shape, as you are going to frost the cake with the whipping cream. Slice the cake horizontally, in three slices/layers. Place the first slice on the plate or cake board. Spoon a little bit of pastry cream on the board, to make sure the first layer will stick to the base. Using a brush, moisten the first sponge layer with the syrup. Spoon half of the pastry cream onto the sponge, and spread it evenly with a flat spatula. Spread half of the strawberries (the ones you have already sliced) evenly on the cake. Repeat the operation with the second layer. Place the third sponge layer on top, and brush with the syrup. Transfer to the fridge to set for at least half an hour.  In the meantime, prepare the whipping cream. Before whipping, transfer the cream in the freezer for about 20 minutes. The cream has to be very cold. Using an electric handheld beater, or by hand, whip the cream until firm, but not too firm. When you see the cream turning a little bit yellow, stop beating immediately, otherwise it turns into butter!  With the help of a flat spatula, spread the cream onto the cake evenly. Decorate with more cream (I used a Wilton M1 tip) and the strawberries that you have previously left aside. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving. 

Cupcakes or Fairy Cakes?

Cupcakes or Fairy Cakes? I still don’t know the difference, as I am still new to this world! What I know is that I enjoyed so much making cupcakes (or fairy cakes!) that I think I am becoming addicted to it! So this is only the first one of a long series, I guess :-). PS - Can someone please tell me if the ones I made (please see the picture) are cupcakes or fairy cakes? I read a number of articles on different forums, but I couldn’t get my head around it. I think these are smaller then cupcakes... who knows??

Lemon Cupcakes, Adapted from a recipe by Rachel Allen

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes (makes 12)

• Plain flour (sifted), 150g (I use the `00` type)
• Unsalted good quality butter (softened), 125g
• Caster sugar, 125g
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• Pinch of salt
• Finely grated zest of ½ large lemon
• ¼ tsp baking powder

For the Lemon Butter Icing

• Unsalted butter (softened), 75g
• Icing sugar (sifted), 124
• Finely grated zest of ½ large lemon
• 1-2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Natural food coloring and edible sugar decorations (optional)

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line a 12-hole cupcake tin with 12 paper cases. Cream the butter until soft (using a mixer or by hand). Gradually add the sugar and the grated lemon zest and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat the eggs, add them to the butter mixture and keep on mixing. Finally add the sifted flour and the baking powder and continue mixing until smooth. Divide the mixture between the paper cases and bake in the preheated oven for 7-10 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool completely. For the butter icing, cream the butter until soft. Gradually add the icing sugar, the lemon zest and the lemon juice (just a few drops in case you need to soften up the icing). Add a few drops of natural food coloring (optional). Frost the cupcakes with the buttercream icing and decorate according to your own taste.

Cupcakes al Limone (Adattato da una ricetta di Rachel Allen)

Ingredienti


Per 12 Cupcakes

• Farina OO (setacciata), 150g
• Burro, 125g
• Zucchero, 125g
• 2 uova
• Un pizzico di sale
• La scorza grattugiata di ½ limone grande
• ¼ cucchiaino di lievito in polvere per dolci

Per la copertura al limone

• Burro, 75g
• Zucchero a velo, 125
• La scorza grattugiata di ½ limone grande
• 1-2 cucchiaini di succo di limone
• Colorante per dolci naturale e decorazioni edibili (optional)

Tutti gli ingredienti devono essere a temperatura ambiente.

Procedimento

Preriscaldare il forno a 180ºC e preparare una teglia da cupcakes da 12 con i pirottini di carta. In una ciotola sbattere il burro con un mestolo di legno (o potete usare uno sbattitore elettrico) fino a renderlo molto morbido e cremoso. Aggiungere gradualmente lo zucchero, continuando a sbattere. Aggiungere la uova una alla volta ed un pizzico di sale sempre continuando a sbattere. Aggiungere gradualmente la farina setacciata ed il lievito in polvere. Infine la scorza di limone grattugiata.  Dividere il composto nei 12 pirottini ed infornare per 7-10 minuti.  Lasciare raffreddare completamente.  Per la crema di burro al limone - In una ciotola sbattere il burro fino ad ottenere una consistenza molto leggera. Aggiungere gradualmente lo zucchero a velo continuando a sbattere. Aggiungere la scorza grattugiata di limone e qualche goccia di limone (nel caso la crema fosse troppo solida). Se desiderate aggiungere anche qualche goccia di colorante naturale.  Ricoprire le cupcakes e decorare a piacimento.  Consumare entro qualche ora ed evitare di refrigerare (il burro si indurirebbe). 

Fresh Fruit Tart - Crostata alla Frutta Fresca

Fresh Fruit Tart

A classic Fresh Fruit Tart, filled with pastry cream and topped with fresh seasonal fruit. I made this for my friend Deborah’s flat warming dinner party. A feast for the eyes and a well appreciated ‘home-made present’.

Per leggere la ricetta in Italiano andare al fondo del Post

Ingredients

Shortcut Pastry

• Plain flour, 200g (I use the `00` type)
• Unsalted good quality butter, 100g - plus extra for greasing
• Icing sugar, 50g
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• Pinch of salt
• Lemon zest
• Approx 800g of Pastry Cream

Pastry Cream

• Whole milk, 500g
• Caster sugar, 140
• A vanilla pod
• Egg yolks, 6
• Sieved Flour, 80g
• Pinch af Salt

Other Ingredients

• Fresh Fruit
• Strawberry or Apricot Jam, about 2-3 tbsp
• Clear Gelatin or Apricot Glaze
• 24cm Tart Tin

Directions

Preparing the Pastry Cream
In a saucepan, bring the milk slowly to the boil with the vanilla pod (and the seeds scraped out into the milk). Allow to cool slightly and remove the vanilla pod. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar. Sift the plain flour, add it to the egg mixture and mix thoroughly. Pour the milk onto the egg mix, whisking continuously. Return to a clean pan and stir with a wooden spatula, bringing it to the boil over a gentle heat until it starts to thicken. Remove from the heat, transfer the pastry cream into a clean bowl and place some clingfilm over the surface. The clingfilm will prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate and chill completely.

The Shortcut Pastry
On a floured surface mix the flour and the butter cut into small pieces together. Mix in the icing sugar, the egg yolks and the lemon zest and work together very quickly to form the pastry dough. Add some cold water if required (not recommended). Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes before using.

Roll out the Pastry (approx 4mm thick). Now roll the pastry around your floured rolling pin and unroll it onto the top of your tart tin (already greased with some butter and sprinkled with flour), pressing it gently around the sides. Trim all excess pastry.
Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork, cover and refrigerate for half an hour.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Line the pastry base with parchment paper and fill it with ceramic beans (or rice or beans), making sure the weight is evenly distributed. Bake for 15 minutes and then remove the weights and bake for further 5-10 minutes, or until the crust is lightly golden brown. Let cool completely before filling.

Assembling the Tart
Spread a thin layer of jam (strawberry or apricot, but you can use any jams you like) over the bottom and sides of the tart shell. Spread the Pastry Cream into the tart and level with a spatula.
Decorate the tart with your favourite fresh fruit.
Heat the apricot glaze (or gelatin) and glaze the fruit evenly. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.

Crostata di Frutta Fresca e Crema Pasticcera


Ingredienti

Pasta Frolla

• Farina OO, 200g
• Burro di buona qualita’, 100g
• Zucchero a velo, 50g
• 2 tuorli d`uovo
• Un pizzico di sale
• La buccia grattugiata di un limone
• Circa 800g di Crema Pasticcera

Crema Pasticcera

• Latte intero, 500g
• Zucchero 140
• Una bacca di vaniglia
• 6 tuorli d’uovo
• Farina, 80g
• Un pizzico di sale

Altri Ingredienti

• Frutta Fresca a piacimento
• Marmellata di fragole o albicocche, circa 2 cucchiai
• Gelatina o marmellata di albicocche per spennellare la frutta
• Tortiera 24cm di diametro

Procedimento

Crema Pasticcera
Versare il latte in una pentola. Tagliare il baccello di vaniglia nel senso della lunghezza e rimuovere i semini. Versare il baccello ed i semini nel latte e portare a bollore. Togliere la pentola dal fuoco e lasciare in infusione per almeno 30 minuti, in modo che la vaniglia rilasci tutto il suo aroma. Filtrare il tutto in una pentola pulita. Lavorare i tuorli con lo zucchero, aggiungere la farina setacciata ed un pizzichino di sale, ed amalgamare il tutto con cura. Rimettere il latte sul fuoco e, prima che raggiunga il bollore, toglierlo dal fuoco ed incominciare a versarlo a filo nel composto di tuorli mescolando velocemente. Rimettere la pentola sul fuoco e, mescolando di continuo con una spatola di legno, portare a cottura. Trasferire la crema in un contenitore pulito, coprire con della pellicola alimentare a contatto con la superficie per evitare la formazione della pellicina e far raffreddare completamente.

Pasta Frolla
Sbriciolare velocemente il burro nella farina. Aggiungere lo zucchero, i tuorli, un pizzico di sale e la buccia grattugiata del limone e lavorare velocemente. Aggiungere qualche cucchiaio di acqua fredda se necessario (non lo raccomando). Formate una palla, avvolgetela in pellicola per alimenti e tenetela in frigo per almeno 30 minuti prima di utilizzarla.
Stendere la pasta frolla e disponetela in una tortiera di circa 24 cm (che avrete gia’ imburrato e spolverato con un po’ di farina.
Premere leggermente e rimuovere la pasta in eccesso.
Bucherellate il fondo con una forchetta, coprite e mettete di nuovo in frigo per mezz’ora.
Riscaldare il forno a 180 gradi C.
Rimuovere la pasta frolla dal frigo, coprire con della carta da forno (o di alluminio) e versarvi sopra dei pesi (io ho usato i fagioli di ceramica, ma si possono usare fagioli o riso). Mettere la crostata cosi' pronta in forno a circa 180 gradi per 15 minuti, dopodiche’ rimuovere la carta con i pesi e continuare la cottura per circa 5-10 minuti, o fino a quando la superficie non risulti leggermente dorata.>BR> Sfornare e farla raffreddare completamente.

Assemblaggio
Con l’aiuto di un pennello cospargere il fondo ed i bordi interni della pasta frolla (ormai completamente freddo) con della marmellata. Versarvi la crema pasticcera (fredda del tutto) e distribuitela uniformemente. Tagliare la frutta e sistemarla sulla torta a proprio piacimento.
Spennellare con della gelatina per dolci o con della marmellata di albicocche (riscaldata in un pentolino con poca acqua e poi passata al colino per rimuovere/sciogliere i grumi).
Refrigerare per alcune ore prima di consumarla.

Pistachio & Almond Biscuits

A quick and simple recipe from the book 1001 Cupcakes, Cookies & other tempting treats by Susanna Tee. Simple but very yummy!

Per leggere la ricetta in Italiano andare al fondo del Post


Ingredients

• Butter, 225g softened
• Sugar, 140g
• Egg yolk, 1 lightly beaten
• Plain flour, 225g
• Pinch of salt
• Ground almonds, 55g
• Unsalted pistachio nuts, 55g finely chopped

Method

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and continue beating. Sift the flour and the salt into the mixture, add the ground almonds and stir until combined. Divide the dough in two, wrap in cling film and chill in the refrigerator for about 30-60 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180º C.
Unwrap the dough and roll it out between two sheets of baking paper to about 3 mm thick. Sprinkle half the pistachio nuts over each piece of dough and roll lightly with the rolling pin. Cut the biscuits with a pastry cutter, place on the baking sheets and bake for about 10-12 minutes. Let cool down before serving.



Biscotti Mandorle e Pistacchio

Ingredienti

• Burro, 225g ammorbidito
• Zucchero, 140g
• 1 Tuorlo d’uovo, sbattuto leggermente
• Farina, 225g
• Un pizzico di sale
• Mandorle spellate e macinate finemente, 55g
• Granella di pistacchio (non salati), 55g

Procedimento

Con l’aiuto di uno sbattitore elettrico montare il burro e lo zucchero fino ad ottenere un composto leggero e spumoso (circa 10 minuti). Setacciare la farina e il sale nel burro, aggiungere le mandorle macinate e lavorare fino a che tutti gli ingredienti non siano ben amalgamati. Dividere il composto in due, avvolgere con della pellicola alimentare e trasferire in frigo per 30-60 minuti.
Preriscaldare il forno a 180º C.
Togliere il composto dal frigo, rimuovere la pellicola e stendere con un mattarello tra due fogli di carta da forno fino ad ottenere uno spessore di circa 3mm. Cospargere la granella di pistacchio sulla pasta stesa e premere delicatamente con il mattarello. Tagliare i biscotti con gli stampini che preferite (o un bicchiere) e cuocere per circa 10-12 minuti (su una teglia imburrata o ricoperta di carta da forno). Fare la stessa cosa con l’altra meta’ della pasta. Lasciare raffreddare prima di servire. Il giorno dopo sono ancora piu’ buoni.

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Apricot Danish Pastries by Luca Montersino - Danesi alle Albicocche di Luca Montersino

I got this recipe from Luca Montersino, one of the most popular Italian pastry chefs. For this recipe he doesn’t use croissant dough, but brioche dough. The result was great and I really enjoyed making these pastries. I used a kitchen mixer, which is the best option in my opinion, but if you don’t have one you can of course knead the dough by hands. You can also watch Luca Montersino’s videos here: Danish Montersino Part 1, Danish Montersino Part 2, Danish Montersino Part 3.

Per leggere la ricetta in Italiano andare al fondo del Post


Ingredients

• Fresh whole milk, 160g
• Whole eggs, 360g
• Sugar, 140g
• Butter, 360g
• Fresh yeast, 30g
• Honey, 30g
• Rum, 15g
• Salt, 15g
• Grated zest of a lemon
• Italian Flour OO (or pastry flour), 1kg (but I used 500g of OO flour and 500g of strong flour)
• Preserved or canned apricot halves,150g
• Apricot glaze
• Vanilla, 1 pod
• Pastry Cream (Whole milk, 250g, Caster sugar, 70, Half vanilla pod, Egg yolks, 2, Sieved Flour, 40g)

Method

For the Pasty Cream:

In a saucepan, bring the milk slowly to the boil with the vanilla pod (seeds scraped out into the milk). Allow to cool slightly and remove the vanilla pod. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar. Sift the plain flour and mix thoroughly. Pour the milk onto the egg mix whisking continuously. Return to a clean pan and stir with a wooden spatula to the boil over a gentle heat until it starts to thicken, then using a whisk stir to ensure it is of a smooth texture. Place some cling film over the surface and chill.

For the Danish Pastries:

In a kitchen mixer, combine butter, sugar, lemon zest, rum and vanilla seeds (scraped from the pod) and beat until very fluffy (for about 10 minutes at high speed).
Transfer the mixture to a different bowl and set aside.
Put the flour in the kitchen mixer, break the yeast with your hands and add it to the flour. Using a dough hook, start working the flour and the yeast, adding the eggs one at a time (speed 2).
After about 7-8 minutes of mixing, the dough should come together and wrap itself around the dough hook.
Once all eggs are incorporated, start adding the milk gradually. Keep mixing for about 10 minutes.
At this point start adding the butter mixture gradually, allowing the butter to be incorporated nearly completely after each addition. Finally add the salt and mix for additional 5 minutes.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and pat into a rectangle about 2-3 cm thick. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for an hour.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 30mm thick.
Using a pastry cutter, cut the dough into regular squares (about 8x8cm). Now make a diagonal cut from the corners of each square:



Fold over every other point to the center, overlapping them slightly and pressing gently.



With a fork, prick the center of each pinwheel.
Drop a good spoonful of pastry cream in the centre of each danish and top with a preserved apricot half.



Cover the pastries with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place to prove for about 1 and ½ hours (or until doubled in size).
Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C and bake for about 18 minutes.
Once cooked, the apricot halves will look a bit dry, but don’t worry, just brush the pastries with apricot glaze and they will look shiny and delicious again.


Danesi alle Albicocche di Luca Montersino



Potete trovare la ricetta passo per passo qui: Danesi Montersino Parte 1, Danesi Montersino Parte 2, Danesi Montersino Parte 3.

Orange Semifreddo

I was watching Italian TV the other day, and i saw a recipe for a simple orange semifreddo. The program is ‘La Prova del Cuoco’, which is the equivalent of ‘Ready, Steady, Cook’, and the recipe is from Susanna Badii. I am usually not particularly fond of fruit desserts - I rather prefer high calorie ones - argh! But I had plenty of oranges so I decided to give it a try. Here you go...

Per leggere la ricetta in Italiano andare al fondo del Post


Ingredients

• Egg yolks, 4
• Egg whites, 4
• White sugar, 7 Tbs
• Oranges, juice and grated zest of 3 medium organic oranges
• Lemon, juice and grated zest of 1 organic lemon
• Gelatin leaves, 8g
• Whipping Cream, 400 g
• Orange slices to decorate

Method

Soak the gelatin leaves in cold water and set aside.

Separate the egg yolks from the whites and whip the whites until stiff peaks. Set aside (preferably in the fridge).

Whip the cream until thick and set aside (preferably in the fridge).

Beat the egg yolks with the sugar in a bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, until the mixture is pale and thick (I used an electric whisk). While whisking, gradually incorporate the zest and the juice of three oranges and one lemon.

Remove from the heat and let cool down a bit.

Squeeze the gelatin leaves and stir into the egg mixture until dissolved. Transfer to the fridge until cold.

When cold, gently fold in the whipped cream and the whipped egg whites (with upwards movements).

Pour the mixture into a mould or into single sized ones, and transfer into the freezer for at least 4 hours before serving.

Decorate with orange slices.


Spumone alle Arance

Adattato da una ricetta di Susanna Badii.

Ingredienti

• Uova intere, 4
• Zucchero, 7 cucchiai
• Arance, succo e scorza grattugiata di 3 arance
• Limone, succo e scorza grattugiata di 1 limone
• Gelatina in fogli, 8g
• Panna da montare, 400 g
• Fette di arancia per decorare

Procedimento

Mettere a bagno la gelatina in una ciotola con acqua molto fredda.

In una ciotola a bagno maria montare i tuorli con lo zucchero, accertandosi che la ciotola non sia a contatto con la pentola che contiene acqua calda. Incorporare a poco a poco il succo e le scorze grattugiate di tre arance e di un limone. Far gonfiare per almeno 10 minuti.

Far raffreddare.

Strizzare bene la gelatina, aggiungerla al composto e mescolare con cura in modo che la gelatina si sciolga completamente. Riporre in frigo di nuovo e far raffreddare.

In due ciotole diverse montare la panna e gli albumi.

Prendere il composto lavorato precedentemente dal frigo ed incorporarvi prima la panna montata e poi gli albumi, sempre con movimenti dall’alto verso il basso.

Versare in uno stampo di metallo e trasferire in freezer per almeno 4 ore prima di servire.

Decorare con fette d’arancia.

Tozzetti (Hazelnut Biscotti) - Tozzetti alle Nocciole della Tuscia

These hazelnut biscuits come from Tuscia - the Italian historical region that comprised the southern territories under Etruscan influence.
Today Tuscia coincides with the province of Viterbo - the place I come from and the place I still belong to.
My family is from Montefiascone, the beautiful town famous for the production of the ‘Est! Est!! Est!!’ wine.
Despite having lived in London for nearly 13 years, sometimes, when I think about my childhood or my teen years spent in Montefiascone, I can still smell the ‘ragù’ lingering through the streets of the old town, and nostalgia overwhelms me...
This recipe is from my mum.

Per leggere la ricetta in Italiano andare al fondo del Post

Ingredients

• Flour, approx. 400g
• Sugar, 250g
• Butter, 80g
• Eggs, 2 (plus 1 for brushing)
• Hazelnuts, 250g
• Chopped dark chocolate, 130g
• Sambuca liqueur, 1 small shot glass
• Baking powder, 1 and 1/2 tsp
• Grated zest of a lemon
• A pinch of salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Arrange the shelled nuts on a baking sheet and roast until golden brown (about 8-10 minutes). Let cool down and set aside.

Gently melt the butter in a small sauce pan, let cool down and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs for a few minutes. Combine the eggs with 350g of flour, sugar, butter, sambuca, lemon zest and a pinch of salt.

Finally add the roasted hazelnuts, the chocolate and the baking powder. Beat with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended.

The dough should now be ready to be shaped into 2 long sausage shapes. If the dough is too sticky, add some more flour. The amount of flour required may vary depending on flour type and humidity.

Arrange the two sausage shapes onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper, not to close to each other.

Lightly brush with egg wash.

Place in the oven and bake for about 20/25 minutes. Remove from the oven and insert a toothpick in the center of the logs. If it shows too many moist crumbs, return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 30-40 minutes.

Transfer the two logs onto a cutting board. Using a bread knife cut them into 1.5 cm slices.

Arrange these onto the baking sheet and return to the oven until dry (approx. 10-15 minutes).

Let cool down store in an air tight bag or container.




Tozzetti della Tuscia

Ingredienti

• Farina, circa 400g
• Zucchero, 250g
• Burro, 80g
• Uova, 2 (+1 per spennellare)
• Nocciole intere sgusciate, 250g
• Cioccolato fondente a pezzetti, 130g
• Sambuca, 1 bicchierino
• Lievito per dolci, 1 cucchiaino e mezzo
• Scorza grattugiata di un limone
• Un pizzico di sale

Procedimento

Pre-riscaldare il forno a 180ºC.

Tostare le nocciole per una decina di minuti. A me personalmente non piacciono troppo tostate, quindi le lascio in forno massimo dieci minuti. Far raffreddare e mettere da parte.

Sciogliere il burro in un tegamino a fuoco moderato. Far raffreddare e mettere da parte.

In un recipiente abbastanza capiente battere le uova per qualche minuto. Aggiungere 350 grammi di farina, lo zucchero, il burro, la sambuca, il limone ed un pizzico di sale. Lavorare il composto con un mestolo di legno.

Aggiungere le nocciole, il cioccolato ed il lievito per dolci. Lavorare fino a che tutti gli ingredienti saranno perfettamente amalgamati.

A questo punto, aiutandovi con un po’ di farina, dividete il composto in due salsicciotti, e disponeteli su una teglia sulla quale avrete disposto della carta da forno, un po’ distanti l’uno dall’altro. Se formando i salsicciotti pensate che il composto sia troppo molle, aggiungete altra farina al composto e poi procedete a formare i due salsicciotti.

Spennellare con un uovo sbattuto e trasferire in forno per 20/25 minuti.

Passato questo tempo, togliere dal forno ed inserire uno stecchino per controllare che la pasta sia abbasta cotta all’interno. Non dovra’ essere completamente asciutta, ma neanche troppo molle. Se necessario far cuocere per altri 5-10 minuti.

Togliere dal forno e lasciare raffreddare per 30-40 minuti.

Tagliare a strisce diagonali dello spessore di circa 1,5 cm e rimettere in forno per altri 10-15 minuti per farli biscottare.

Chiacchiere, Italian Carnival Fried Pastries (or Frappe, Cenci, Bugie)

These fried pastries are a traditional italian dessert served during Carnival. Each regions has his own version and go under different names according to the place they come from: Chiacchiere, Frappe, Cenci and Bugie, to name just a few.
Be careful, they are quite addictive, so if you try one you won’t be able to stop eating them...
This recipe is from the Italian chef Anna Moroni.

Ingredients

• Pain Flour, 500g
• Softened Butter, 50g
• Eggs, 2
• Sugar, 2 Tbsp
• Anisette Liqueur (or Sambuca or Grappa), 50g
• Grated Zest of a Lemon
• White Wine, as required (approx. 100g)
• Pinch of Salt

You will also need:

• Peanut Oil for frying
• Icing Sugar for dusting

Step 1

On a surface or board, make a well in the flour and pour the eggs into it. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the wine) and mix together, adding the wine gradually. Stop adding the wine when the dough is firm but elastic, and doesn’t stick to the surface. Knead for about 15-20 minutes.
Wrap in cling film and transfer to the fridge to rest for at least an hour.

Step 2

Flour the surface and the rolling pin, and roll out the dough to a very thin sheet, flouring the surface if required. It is important that the sheet is very, very thin.



Step 3

Using a pastry wheel, cut the dough into strips (approx. 5x10 cm) and then make three vertical incisions on each strip.
Heat the frying oil in a deep pan. When hot (but not too much) fry the dough rectangles until lightly golden. It is important that you do not fry them for too long. As soon as you see the colour turning light golden, scoop them out and drain off the oil on kitchen paper. Sprinkle generously with icing sugar.
Serve warm or cold.






Chiacchiere (Frappe, Cenci, Bugie, etc.)

Ingredienti

• Farina 00, 500g
• Burro morbido, 50g
• Uova, 2
• Zuchero, 2 cucchiai
• Anisetta (o Sambuca or Grappa), 50g
• Scorza grattugiata di un limone
• Vino bianco, q.b.
• Un pizzico di sale
• Olio di semi di arachidi per friggere
• Zucchero a velo

Procedimento

Step 1

Versare la farina sul piano di lavoro, fare un buco nel centro, e versarvi le uova. Aggiungere tutti gli altri ingredienti iniziando ad amalgamare ed impastare il tutto. Attenzione a non aggiungere il vino tutto in una sola volta. Deve essere aggiunto all’impasto gradualmente, fino a quando si ottiene un impasto consistente ma elastico, e che non si attacchi alla superficie.
Impastare per 15-20 minuti.
Ricoprire con della pellicola alimentare e trasferire in frigo a riposare per almeno un’ora.

Step 2

Infarinare leggermente il piano di lavoro ed il mattarello, e stendere la pasta fino ad ottenere una sfoglia sottilissima.

Step 3

Tagliare la sfoglia in rettangoli di circa 5x10 cm, e fare due o tre tagli in senso verticale su ogni pezzo di pasta.
Friggere in olio caldo per poco tempo. Le chiacchiere si devono dorare leggermente, attenzione a non farle scurire troppo. Passarle su carta da cucina per rimuovere l’eccesso di olio.
Spolverizzare con abbondante zucchero a velo.

Fatti Fritti - Sardinian Carnival Doughnuts

Fatti-Fritti are a Sardinian Carnival speciality.
We do not celebrate Carnival here in the UK - except for the Notting Hill Carnival, but I decided to celebrate it anyway!
There are so many different ways to prepare Zippulas.
I decided to try this recipe from ‘I Dolci di Pinella’, one of my favourite Italian food blogs. The result was great. Enjoy, and Happy Carnival.

Ingredients

• Plain Flour, 500g (I mixed 300g of Italian Flour ‘OO’ type, with 200g of strong white bread flour)
• Sugar, 75g
• Lard (liquified), 75g
• Eggs, 2
• Dried Active Yeast,15g
• Whole Milk, 130g
• Juice of an orange
• Grated zest of an orange and a lemon
• Filu e Ferru Liquor (or grappa, or sambuca), 3 tbsp
• Pinch of salt

You will also need

• Peanut Oil for deep frying
• White Sugar to sprinkle over the doughnuts

Notes: You will end up with a very sticky dough. For this reason, I decided to use a kitchen mixer. If you don’t have one, you can work the dough by hand, but be aware that it will stick to your hands quite a lot.

Method

Step 1

Dissolve the yeast in 130g of warm milk. Leave it in a warm place until the surface is covered with approx. 2 cm of froth (10-15 minutes).
In a kitchen mixer - Beat the eggs with the sugar and a pinch of salt for 2-3 minutes. Start adding all of the remaining ingredients gradually and mix for 20-30 minutes.
You should obtain a very soft, sticky and elastic dough.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.

Step 2

Sprinkle some flour on the work surface.
Divide the dough into pieces, forming ring shapes (of the size of ring doughnuts).

Important: The dough is quite sticky, so use flour liberally to form the rings. Be aware that the rings will have to rise for another hour, so it is important that you flour them very well, but not too much.

Place the rings onto a well-floured surface, cover with a clean towel and let rise for about an hour.



Step 3

Preheat the oil in a pan to approx. 170 degrees C. Gently place the doughnuts into the oil, 3 to 4 at a time, depending on the size of the pan. Cook for about 1 minute per side or until lightly golden. Drain on paper towel and sprinkle liberally with white sugar.

Fatti-Fritti- Ricetta di Pinella (http://idolcidipinella.blogspot.com/)

Per questi dolci ho seguito la ricetta di Pinella. L’unica differenza e’ che io ho dimezzato le dosi e usato il lievito secco, anziche’ quello fresco.

Sardinian Almond Meringues (Bianchini, Meringhe Sarde)

January is a depressing month for me, mainly because of the ‘self-imposed’ new year’s resolutions (losing weight is ‘obviously’ one of them!).
However I could not refrain myself from starting making sweets again, sorry! I have obviously promised myself to eat only one.. yes, only one.. of these nice, sweet, super-light meringues.
This is a Sardinian recipe, given to me by my mother in law.

Ingredients

• Egg whites, 150g (3-4 days old)
• White sugar, 300g
• Toasted almond flakes, 100g
• Lemon juice, 2 tbsp
• Zest of a lemon
• A pinch of salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 100° and set non-stick paper on 2 large baking sheets.
In a very clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt to soft peaks and gradually add the sugar until stiff.
Fold in the chopped almond flakes and the lemon zest, working with upward movements. The mixture is now ready to be piped onto the baking sheets.
Cook on a low shelf for 1 hour and and 20/30 minutes at 100°.
Leave to cool on the trays or a cooling rack.

Meringhe alle Mandorle (Bianchini)

Ingredienti

• Albumi, 150g (meglio se di 3-4 giorni)
• Zucchero, 300g
• Mandore tostate in scaglie, 100g
• Succo di limone, 2 cucchiai
• Scorza grattugiata di un limone
• Un pizzico di sale

Procedimento

Riscaldare il forno a 100° e preparare due placche su cui avrete steso della carta da forno. Versare gli albumi, il succo di limone ed un pizzico di sale in una ciotola molto pulita, che non abbia nessun residuo di grasso.
Con uno sbattitore montare gli albumi a neve, aggiungendo lo zucchero gradualmente. Quando il composto e’ ben fermo e compatto aggiungere le mandorle tostate e tagliuzzate e la scorza di limone grattugiata.
Con una sacca da pasticciere formare le meringhe sulle placche da forno e cuocere a 100° per un’ora e 20/30 minuti circa. Lasciare reffreddare.

Orange Buns filled with Fresh Cream (Adriano Contisio recipe) - Maritozzi all’Arancia con Panna Montata di Adriano Contisio

I got this recipe from one of my favourite Italian food bloggers Adriano Contisio (http://profumodilievito.blogspot.com/). This is a recipe created by Adriano and I have to say that these buns are so soft and delicious that they make you forget the amount of time spent to make them (yes, this is not a quick recipe!). Forget calorie counting too and let them melt in your mouth. Truly delicious!

Ingredients

• Strong Canadian Flour, 450g
• Rice Flour, 50g
• Water, 200g
• White granulated sugar, 90g
• Honey, 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
• 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk
• Fresh yeast, 8g
• Salt, 8g
• Butter, 60g
• Maize oil (or peanut or rice oil), 40g
• Zest of an orange
• Egg white and sugar syrup for brushing
• Fresh Cream to decorate

Method

Heat the water mixed with the orange zest, but do not boil. This step is required for the orange zest to release its flavour. Let cool down for a little bit, until the water is lukewarm. Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water together with a teaspoon of honey. Add 200g of flour, mix well, and leave to rest in a warm place for an hour.

Put the mixture in a bowl, add some of the remaining white flour, the rice flour, part of the sugar and start kneading. Incorporate the whole egg with the rest of the flour and the sugar and continue kneading. Add the egg yolk, 1 tbsp of honey and the salt and keep on kneading the dough. Finally add the softened butter and while kneading incorporate the oil. Work the dough until soft and elastic - for at least 15-20 minutes. Cover the bowl with cling film or with a towel and leave to raise for about two hours.

Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a lightly floured surface and punch to remove the air pockets. Now fold like an envelope, bringing the four sides over the center of the dough. Cover again and leave to rest for half an hour.

Turn the dough out onto the work surface and cut into little balls, weighting approx. 80 grams each. Work each dough ball into a round shape, place onto the work surface, cover with a towel and leave to rest for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes turn the dough balls upside down, and re-shape them into a round shape. Cover with a towel and leave to raise for an hour. After an hour the dough balls should be light and fluffy.

Brush with egg white and transfer to a pre-heated oven to 180° for about 12 minutes, or until golden. When cooked, remove from the oven and brush again with sugar syrup. To make the sugar syrup mix 100g of water with 135g sugar, bring to the boil and remove from the heat once the syrup has thickened. When you brush the buns the sugar syrup temperature should be approximately 30°.

Once cold, perform a cut in the middle of the buns and fill with fresh cream. At this point bring one bun to your mouth and you will be in heaven!

Maritozzi all’Arancia di Adriano Contisio

Ho chiesto ad Adriano se potevo linkare la sua meravigliosa ricetta (con foto e spiegazioni dettagliate) ed eccola qua: http://profumodilievito.blogspot.com/2009/03/maritozzi-allarancia.html.

Crème Pâtissière Tart

Ingredients

• Plain flour, 200g (I use the `00` type)
• Unsalted good quality butter, 100g - plus extra for greasing
• Icing sugar, 50g
• 2 free-range egg yolks, plus 1 egg for brushing
• Some cold water
• Pinch of salt
• Lemon zest
• Approx 400g of Crème Pâtissière

Crème Pâtissière

• Whole milk, 250g
• Caster sugar, 70
• Half vanilla pod
• Egg yolks, 2
• Sieved Flour, 40g

Method First of all prepare the Crème Pâtissière. In a saucepan, bring the milk slowly to the boil with the vanilla pod. Allow to cool slightly and remove the vanilla pod, scraping the seeds back into the milk. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar. Sift the plain flour and mix thoroughly. Pour the milk onto the egg mix whisking continuously. Return to a clean pan and stir with a wooden spatula to the boil over a gentle heat until it starts to thicken, then using a whisk stir to ensure it is of a smooth texture. Place some clingfilm over the surface and chill. The clingfilm will prevent a skin from forming. On a floured surface mix the flour and the butter cut into small pieces together. Mix in the icing sugar, the egg yolks and the lemon zest and work together very quickly to form the pastry dough. Add some cold water if required. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes before using. Place the pastry in a 25 cm tart tin, pressing it gently around the sides. Trim all excess pastry, and reserve the trimmings. Spread the Crème Pâtissière inside the tart base. Roll out the pastry trimmings, cut into strips and lay the strips over the tart. Brush with a beaten egg and bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until the pastry is a light golden colour. Leave to cool completely before serving.

Crostata alla Crema Pasticcera

Ingredienti

• Farina OO, 200g
• Burro di buona qualita’, 100g
• Zucchero a velo, 50g
• 2 tuorli d`uovo ed un uovo intero per spennellare
• Acqua fredda q.b.
• Un pizzico di sale
• La buccia grattugiata di un limone
• Circa 400g di Crema Pasticcera

Crema Pasticcera

• Latte intero, 250g
• Zucchero 70
• Mezza bacca di vaniglia
• 2 tuorli d’uovo
• Farina, 40g

Metodo

Crema Pasticcera - Versare il latte in un pentolino, aggiungere meta’ di un baccello di vaniglia tagliato a metà nel senso della lunghezza e portare a bollore. Togliere la pentola dal fuoco e lasciare in infusione per almeno 30 minuti, in modo che la vaniglia rilasci tutto il suo aroma. Filtrare il tutto in una pentola pulita. Lavorare i tuorli con lo zucchero, aggiungere la farina setacciata ed amalgamare il tutto con cura. Rimettere il latte sul fuoco e, prima che raggiunga il bollore, toglierlo dal fuoco ed incominciare a versarlo a filo nel composto di tuorli mescolando velocemente. Rimettere la pentola sul fuoco e, mescolando di continuo con una spatola di legno, portare a cottura. Coprire la crema con della pellicola alimentare per evitare la formazione di pellicina e far raffreddare.
Sbriciolare velocemente il burro nella farina. Aggiungere lo zucchero, i tuorli e la buccia del limone e lavorare velocemente. Aggiungere qualche cucchiaio di acqua fredda se necessario. Formate una palla, avvolgetela in pellicola per alimenti e tenetela in frigo per 30 minuti prima di utilizzarla. Disponete la pasta frolla in una tortiera di circa 25 cm. Con una parte dell'impasto che avrete messo da parte, formare delle striscioline da mettere sopra dopo aver spalmato la crema pasticcera. Spennellare con un uovo battuto leggermente e mettere la crostata cosi' pronta in forno a circa 180 gradi per 40 minuti circa. Far raffreddare e servire.

Mini Lemon Tarts (Tartellette alla Crema di Limone)

For this recipe I used shortcut pastry from Margherita and Valeria Simili, and lemon filling from this great Italian food blog: http://lospaziodistaximo.blogspot.com/. The combination was just perfect! Delicious...

Ingredients

For the Shortcut Pastry

• Plain Flour, 200g (I use the `00` type)
• Butter, 100g
• Icing Sugar, 50g
• 2 Free-range egg yolks
• Cold water
• Pinch of salt

For the Filling

• Water, 250g
• Butter, 50g
• Starch, 50g
• Sugar, 180g
• Eggs, 2
• Lemon juice, 50g
• Grated Zest of a Lemon

For the Pastry:

On a floured surface mix the flour and the butter cut into small pieces together. Mix in the icing sugar and the egg yolks, and work together very quickly to form the pastry dough. Add some cold water if required.
Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes before using.

For the Filling:

In a saucepan, heat the water with the butter, the sugar and the starch, whisking thoroughly. Remove from the heat.
While whisking, add the lemon juice, the lemon zest and the eggs (one at a time). Transfer to the heat again, and whisk until the mixture is dense and fluffy.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Place the pastry in mini tart tins, pressing it gently around the sides. Trim all excess pastry and spread the lemon filling inside the tart bases evenly. Bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes or until light golden. Leave to cool completely before serving and dust with icing sugar.

Tartellette alla Crema di Limone

Ingredienti

Per la Pasta Frolla

• Farina OO, 200g
• Burro, 100g
• Zucchero a Velo, 50g
• Tuorli, 2
• Acqua Fredda, q.b.
• Un pizzico di Sale

Per la Crema al Limone

• Acqua, 250g
• Burro, 50g
• Fecola, 50g
• Zucchero, 180g
• Uova, 2
• Succo di Limone, 50g
• Scorza grattugiata di un Limone

Metodo

Per la Pasta Frolla

Sbriciolare velocemente il burro nella farina. Aggiungere lo zucchero, i tuorli e la buccia del limone e lavorare velocemente. Aggiungere qualche cucchiaio di acqua fredda se necessario. Formate una palla, avvolgetela in pellicola per alimenti e tenetela in frigo per 30 minuti prima di utilizzarla.

Per la Crema al Limone

In un pentolino riscaldare l’acqua con il burro, lo zucchero e la fecola e lavorare con una frusta fino a quando il composto comincia ad addensarsi. Rimuovere dal fuoco.
Aggiungere il succo di limone, la scorza grattugiata di un limone e le uova, una alla volta, continuando a lavorare con la frusta. Trasferire sul gas di nuovo e, continuando a girare, lavorare fino a quando la crema non risulta liscia e densa.
Disponete ora la pasta frolla nelle formine, premendo sui bordi e rimuovendo la pasta in eccesso.
Versarvi la crema al limone e livellare.
Infornare in forno precedentemente riscaldato a 180° C per circa 15 minuti, a seconda della potenza del forno. Far raffreddare e spolverare con zucchero a velo.

Apple Tart (Torta di Mele)

Ingredients

Shortcut Pastry

• Plain flour, 250g (I use the `00` type)
• Unsalted good quality butter, 125g
• Sugar, 2 tbsp
• 1 Egg
• Cold water
• Salt, half tsp

Filling

• 6 apples (approx. 850g)
• Butter, 60g
• Sugar, 1 tbsp
• A vanilla bean

Glaze

• Sugar, 80g
• Water, 40ml

Method

Pastry

On a floured surface mix the flour and the butter cut into small pieces together. Mix in the sugar, the egg and half tsp of salt and work together very quickly to form the pastry dough. Add some cold water if required.
Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes before using.



Heat the oven to 200°C.
Grease and flour a 24cm flan tin with removable base and line with the pastry. Prick the bottom with a fork, cover with cling film and put in the fridge to chill.

Filling

Peel and core the apples then cut each quarter into slices. Melt the butter in a heavy pan, add a third of the apple slices (the smallest ones), the butter, the sugar and the vanilla bean, and cook gently to obtain a smooth purée.
Allow the purée to cool down a bit, remove the vanilla bean and then scrape it into the lined flan tin. Level the surface, then arrange the apple slices over the top in overlapping concentric circles.
Place in the oven for approx. 35 minutes or until lightly golden.
Leave to cool down for at least 20 minutes.

Glaze

Bring the water and the sugar to the boil. Boil for about 4-5 minutes until it forms a syrup. Glaze the top of the tart with the sugar syrup.



Torta di Mele

Ingredienti

Pasta Frolla

• Farina OO, 250g
• Burro, 125g
• Zucchero, 2 cucchiai
• 1 Uovo
• Acqua fredda, q.b.
• Sale, mezzo cucchiaino

Ripieno

• 6 Mele (approx. 850g)
• Burro, 60g
• Zucchero, 1 cucchiaio
• Una bacca di vaniglia

Glassa

• Zucchero, 80g
• Acqua, 40ml

Procedimento

Pasta Frolla

Sbriciolare velocemente il burro nella farina. Aggiungere lo zucchero, il tuorlo ed il sale e lavorare velocemente. Aggiungere qualche cucchiaio di acqua fredda se necessario. Formate una palla, avvolgetela in pellicola per alimenti e tenetela in frigo per 30 minuti prima di stenderla.
Preriscaldare il forno a 200°C.
Imburrare ed infarinare una tortiera dal fondo rimuovibile e stendervi la pasta frolla. Bucherellare la base con una forchetta, coprire con della pellicola e trasferire di nuovo in frigo.

Ripieno

Sbucciare le mele e tagliarle a fettine. Trasferite un terzo delle mele (le fettine piu’ piccole) in una pentola. Aggiungere il burro e lo zucchero e cuocere a fuoco lento fino ad ottenere un composto omogeneo, tipo pure’.
Far raffreddare il composto di mele, eliminare la bacca di vaniglia e spalmare sulla base di pasta frolla in modo omogeneo.
Disponete le fette di mela rimaste sulla torta in modo concentrico, sovrapponendo le une con le altre.
Trasferire in forno preriscaldato per 35 minuti circa.
Lasciare raffreddare per una ventina di inuti.

Glassa

In un pentolino portare l’acqua e lo zucchero ad ebollizione. Lasciar bollire, mescolando, per 4-5 minuti, fino ad ottenere uno sciroppo denso.
Spennellare la torta con la glassa.

Ricotta and Lemon Cake (Torta con Ricotta e Limone)

Ingredients

• Flour, 300g
• Sugar, 300g
• Ricotta Cheese, 300g
• Eggs, 3
• Lemon, 1
• Baking Powder, 1 and 1/2 tsp
• Icing Sugar

Method

Grease a plum cake mould or a 22 cm round cake tin and set aside.
Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Cream the sugar with the ricotta cheese, the juice and the zest of a lemon and the egg yolks.
Incorporate the flour and the baking powder, and then gently fold in the egg whites. Pour the mixture into the plum cake mould or cake tin and bake for about 35 minutes. Let it cool and sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.



Torta con Ricotta e Limone

Ingredienti

• Farina, 300g
• Zucchero, 300g
• Ricotta, 300g
• Uova, 3
• Limone, 1
• Lievito Pane degli Angeli, 1 bustina
• Zucchero a velo

Metodo

Imburrare uno stampo da plum cake o una tortiera rotonda di circa 22 cm e mettere da parte.
Montare gli albumi a neve e mettere da parte.
Preriscaldare il forno a 180°C.
Lavorare la ricotta con lo zucchero, i tuorli ed il succo e la buccia grattugiata di un limone.
Incorporare la farina ed il lievito, ed infine gli albumi, facendo attenzione a non smontare l’impasto.
Versare il composto nello stampo per plum cake o nella tortiera e trasferire nel forno preriscaldato per circa 35 minuti.
Lasciare raffreddare e spolverizzare con lo zucchero a velo prima di servire.

Shortcut Pastry Cannoli with Ricotta and Chocolate filling (Cannoli di Pasta Frolla con ripieno di Ricotta e Cioccolato)

Another fantastic recipe from Thea (http://dolcipensieri-blog.blogspot.com/2008/05/cannoli-di-frolla-e-ricotta.html). This is a revised version of the Sicilian Cannoli alla Ricotta. It's very original, and most importantly, delicious. Thanks Thea for letting me share your recipes.



Ingredients

For the Ricotta Filling

• Ricotta cheese, 250g
• Sugar, 70g
• Whipped cream, 200g
• White wine, 2 Tbsp
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 gelatine leaves
• Vanilla
• Icing sugar

For the Shortcut Pastry

• Plain Flour, 500g (I use the ’OO’ type flour)
• Butter, 250g
• Sugar, 150g
• Egg yolks, 6
• Diced dark chocolate, about 90g
• Egg white for brushing
• Cannoli tubes
• Round pastry cutter

Method

For the Filling

Sieve the ricotta cheese.
In a small pan, heat two tbsp of wine and add the gelatine leaves stirring well until dissolved.
Add the gelatine to the ricotta mixture and then the rest of the ingredients, gently folding in the whipped cream so that the mixture does not collapse. Transfer to the fridge.

For the Shortcut Pastry

On a floured surface mix the flour and the butter cut into small pieces together. Mix in the sugar and the egg yolks and work together very quickly to form the pastry dough. Add some cold water if required. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes before using.
Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
Roll out the dough until 3-4 mm thick. Use a round pastry cutter to cut out about 20 rounds.


Roll each circle of dough around a metal cannoli tube. Brush the ends with some egg white and overlap them, pressing to seal.
Brush the surface of the Cannoli with egg white, place on a baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated to 200ºC for about 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden.
Cool on a wire rack.


Pipe the ricotta and chocolate filling into the cannoli and dust with icing sugar.



Cannoli di Pasta Frolla con ripieno di Ricotta e Cioccolato

Ingredienti

Per il Ripieno

• Ricotta, 250g
• Zucchero, 70g
• Panna montata, 200g
• Cioccolato fondente a pezzetti, circa 90g
• Vino bianco, due cucchiai
• Scorza grattugiata di un limone
• Gelatina in fogli, 2
• Vaniglia
• Zucchero a velo

Per la Pasta Frolla

• Farina ‘OO’, 500g
• Burro, 250g
• Zucchero, 150g
• Uova, 6 tuorli
• Bianco d’uovo per spennellare

Metodo

Per il Ripieno

Passare la ricotta al setaccio. Scaldare due cucchiai di vino, aggiungere la gelatina e mescolare fino a quando non e’ completamente dissolta.
Aggiungere la gelatina alla ricotta.
Aggiungere poi il resto degli ingredienti, incorporando la panna montata dall’alto verso il basso facendo attenzione a non far smontare il composto.
Trasferire in frigo.

Per la Pasta Frolla

Sbriciolare velocemente il burro nella farina. Aggiungere lo zucchero e i tuorli e lavorare velocemente. Aggiungere qualche cucchiaio di acqua fredda se necessario. Formate una palla, avvolgetela in pellicola per alimenti e tenetela in frigo per almeno 30 minuti prima di utilizzarla.
Riscaldare il forno a 200ºC.
Stendere la pasta con il mattarello fino a formare una sfoglia di 3-4 mm.
Con un bicchiere o un tagliapasta rotondo tagliare dei cerchi.
Avvolgere ciascun cerchio attorno ai tubi di latta. Spennelate le estremita’ con il bianco d’uovo e pressare per fare aderire.
Spennellare la superficie dei cannoli con del bianco d’uovo, trasferire su una placca da forno ricoperta di carta da forno e cuocere a 200ºC per circa 10-15 minuti o fino a quando i cannoli non risultano leggermente dorati.
Far raffreddare.
Con una tasca da pasticcere riempire i cannoli e spolverizzare con dello zucchero a velo.

Roses Cake - Torta delle Rose

This is not a very easy recipe - I must confess the first time I tried it, it didn’t look very pretty.
However with a bit of practising you will achieve great results and you will be very pleased with the look, smell and taste of this amazing cake.
Torta delle Rose (Roses Cake) takes its name from its rose shape. For the filling I used butter and sugar, but you could also use Creme Patissierie or butter and dark chocolate chips, according to ones taste.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• Plain Flour (I always use Italian Flour ‘OO’ type), 500g
• Sugar, 90g
• Eggs, 2
• Softened Butter, 60g
• Fresh Yeast, 20g (or Dried Active Yeast 1 level tbsp eqv. to 15g)
• Whole Milk, 60g
• Water, 60g
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 egg yolk and 2 tbsp of milk for brushing
• Sucre perlé (optional)
• 26 cm dip round cake tin

For the Filling:

• Sugar, 125g
• Softened Butter, 125g
• Pinch of Salt

Step 1
Dissolve the fresh yeast in 60g of warm water. If using dried yeast, leave it in a warm place until the surface is covered with approx. 2 cm of froth (10-15 minutes) before mixing with other ingredients.
Incorporate 150g of flour into the yeast mixture, cover with cling film and let rise in a warm place for about 40 minutes.

Step 2
If using a kitchen mixer - Pour the yeast mixture into the kitchen mixer bowl (I use a Kenwood Patissier), add all of the remaining ingredients and mix for about 15 minutes.
You should obtain a very soft and elastic dough, of the consistency of brioche dough.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.


Step 3
Prepare the Filling:
In a bowl mix the softened butter, the sugar and a pinch of salt until very soft - make sure the mixture is very soft, or you will not be able to spread it onto the rolled dough (see next step).


Step 4
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead to knock out any air pockets. Form the dough into a round.
Flour the surface or board and the rolling pin, and roll out the dough to a rectangular sheet approximately 60 x 20 cm and about half cm thick. Flour the surface from time to time if required, making sure the dough doesn’t stick to the working surface.
Using a spatula, spread the butter and sugar mixture onto the rolled dough sheet, covering the entire surface.
Roll the sheet into a roll.


Using a sharp knife, cut about 4 cm slices from the roll and place them upright into the greased cake tin, leaving some space between each slice.



Cover with cling film and let rise again for about 40 minutes.


Preheat the oven to 170ºC.

Step 5
Remove the cling film form the cake tin. Whisk the egg yolk with 2 tbsp of milk, brush the cake and sprinkle with sucre perlé (optional).


Bake for about 35-40 minutes. Transfer onto a wire rack and leave to cool.



Torta delle Rose

Ingredienti

Per la torta:

• Farina ‘OO’, 500g
• Zucchero, 90g
• Uova, 2
• Burro, 60g
• Lievito di birra fresco (o 20g di lievito di birra disidratato)
• Latte intero, 60g
• Acqua, 60g
• Un pizzico di sale
• 1 rosso d’uovo e 2 cucchiai di latte per spennellare la torta
• Granella di zucchero (opzionale)
• Una tortiera alta del diametro di 26 cm

Per la farcia:

• Zucchero, 125g
• Burro, 125g
• Un pizzico di sale

Step 1
Sciogliere il lievito di birra in 60g di acqua tiepida. Se usate il lievito secco lasciare riposare per una decina di minuti.
Incorporare 150 g di farina, coprire con pellicola trasparente e lasciare riposare in un luogotiepido per circa 40 minuti.

Step 2
Impastare il lievitino con tutti gli altri ingredienti (a mano o in un kitchen micer) per circa 15 minuti. La pasta deve risultare morbida ed elastica, della consistenza della pasta per brioche. Allo stesso tempo non deve risultare troppo appiccicosa.
Coprire con della pellicola alimentare e lasciare riposare in un luogo tiepido per un paio d’ore o fino a quando il volume non sia raddoppiato.

Step 3
Per la farcia:
In una ciotola mescolare il burro precedentemente ammorbidito, lo zucchero ed un pizzico di sale fino ad ottenere un composto molto morbido e leggero - altrimenti non riuscirete a spalmare la farcia sulla pasta stesa - vedi prossimo step.

Step 4
Riversare la pasta sulla superficie di lavoro e sgonfiarla con dei piccoli pugni.
Formare una palla.
Infarinare la superficie di lavoro ed il mattarello e stendere la pasta fino ad ottenere un rettangolo di circa 60 x 20 cm e dello spessore di circa mezzo centimetro. Infarinare di nuovo se necessario, per evitare che la pasta si appiccichi alla superficie.
Con una spatula spalmare la farcia sull’intera superficie della pasta.
Arrotolare e tagliare in tronchetti lunghi circa 4 cm. Disporre i tronchetti in verticale nella teglia gia’ imburrata, un po’ distanziati gli uni dagli altri.
Coprire con della pellicola alimentare e lasciare lievitare di nuovo per circa 40 minuti.
Preriscaldare il forno a 170ºC.

Step 5
Togliere la pellicola.
Sbattere il tuorlo dell’uovo con un paio di cucchiai di latte e spennellare la superficie della torta. Spolverare con la granella di zucchero (opzionale).
Cuocere per circa 35-40 minuti a 170ºC.
Far raffreddare un po’ prima di servire.