Rosalia's Bittersweet Pastry Shop (43 page)

 

Yield: approximately 12 to 14 servings

 

1 recipe Sponge Cake (see recipe on pages 386–387)

 

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and boil until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is reduced by one-quarter. Let cool, and stir in the rum.

In a small bowl, whisk the Nutella with ½ cup of the cream to lighten the Nutella. In a mixing bowl, whip the remaining 1 cup of cream with the vanilla until it begins to hold its shape. Add the Nutella mixture and continue to whip until stiff.

 

Line a 10-inch springform pan with plastic wrap. Cut the sponge cake into three half-inch layers. Place one cake layer in the bottom of the pan, brush with one-third of the rum syrup, and spread evenly with half of the filling. Repeat with another layer of cake, another one-third of the syrup, and the remaining filling. Finish with the final cake layer and the remaining syrup. Chill, covered, for 2 hours before unmolding.

 

Bring the cream and butter just to a boil and immediately remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt, then whisk until smooth. This glaze solidifies significantly upon cooling; if it becomes too stiff to work with, warm it over low heat, stirring carefully.

 

Invert the cake onto a serving platter and remove the pan and plastic wrap. Pour or spread the glaze evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Allow the glaze to set before serving.

Adapted from
Sweet Sicily: The Story of an Island and Her Pastries,
by Victoria Granof (William Morrow Cookbooks)

 

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

This is my mother's recipe for
Pignolata,
which she made every year for Christmas. I'm proud to now carry on this tradition for the holidays.

 

Place the flour, orange zest, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor and lightly pulse to blend the ingredients. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Then add the eggs and vanilla and pulse until the mixture begins to come together into a dough. Take the dough out of the food processor and shape it into a smooth ball.

Pinch off one-inch pieces of dough and roll between your hands to shape into small balls. Place on a lightly floured work surface or on a baking sheet that has been lightly floured.

Add 3 inches of oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees on a candy thermometer (or when a small piece of dough dropped into the oil rises to the surface). Place batches of the dough balls into the oil (do not place too many at one time) and fry until the balls are golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. With a spider or slotted spoon, scoop the balls out of the pot and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

 

In a large pot over medium heat, bring the honey, orange juice, and sugar to a boil. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove the pot from the heat and add the balls.
Be careful: This glaze is very hot.
Stir until the balls are all coated with the glaze. Let cool for about 15 minutes.

With a large spoon, place the
Pignolata
onto a large serving plate or platter. With wet hands, pile the
Pignolata
into a pyramid. Sprinkle with confetti sprinkles.

This is a family recipe.

 

Yield: approximately 12 to 14 servings

While there are several steps involved in making a
cassata,
it is well worth your time, especially for a special occasion. For there's no doubt this cake will impress your guests with its decadent, rich flavor. You can find fresh ricotta in Italian food specialty stores or gourmet food specialty stores.

 

Beat the ricotta and the sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Divide in half and add the fruit to one portion and the chocolate and cinnamon to the other. Set aside.

Beat the ricotta and the sugar until smooth and of spreading consistency. Set aside.

 

Place four triangles of waxed or parchment paper on a serving platter under and all around where the cake will be so that the papers can be pulled out after the cake is assembled. Place one cake layer on the waxed paper. Place the Marsala wine in a small spray bottle and spray a third on the first layer. Spread the ricotta and fruit filling on top of the cake layer. Place the second layer on top of the ricotta filling and spray with another third of the Marsala wine. Spread the ricotta and chocolate filling on the second layer, top with the third layer, spray it with the rest of the Marsala wine, and let rest.

Place the citron, if using, on a cutting board and slice thinly. Slice the candied cherries in half.

Spread the icing on the top and on the sides of the cake. Press the sliced almonds lightly over the sides of the cake. Place the citron slices, if using, in a pattern around the top of the cake. Add the cherries, cut side down, to complement the design made by the citron slices. Chill until ready to serve.

 

Adapted from
Sicilian Feasts,
by Giovanna Bellia La Marca (Hippocrene Books)

 

Yield: 10-inch sponge cake and 6 to 8 servings of pastry cream

 

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease well a 10-by-3-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper, greasing the parchment paper as well.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, whip the egg yolks with ½ cup of the sugar, the water, the vanilla, and the lemon zest until light yellow and tripled in volume. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt directly into the yolk mixture and gently fold in.

In a separate bowl, with clean beaters, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Whip in the remaining ¼ cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form. Fold the whites gently into the yolk-flour mixture until no white streaks remain.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and the top springs back when lightly touched. Cool the cake completely on a cooling rack before removing from the pan. If desired, dust with powdered sugar.

 

 

With a serrated knife, cut the cake through its center so that you have two layers. Place one of the layers, cut side up, onto a plate. With a spatula, spread the pastry cream on top of this layer of cake. Take the second layer and place it cut side down onto the layer with cream. Dust with powdered sugar.

Note: If cake flour is unavailable, substitute 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour and ½ cup cornstarch. Sift both the flour and cornstarch well before measuring.

Adapted from
Sweet Sicily: The Story of an Island and Her Pastries
, by Victoria Granof (William Morrow Cookbooks)

 

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the milk just to the boiling point, add the vanilla, and remove from the heat. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks together with the sugar until the mixture is pale yellow, then whisk in the flour. Continuing to whisk, very slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture.

Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and, stirring constantly, bring it slowly to close to the boiling point—but do not let it boil or the eggs will curdle and you will have a lumpy sauce. Remove from the heat, cool briefly, then place a sheet of plastic wrap on the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming.

Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to use.

Adapted from
Sophia Loren's Recipes and Memories,
by Sophia Loren (GT Publishing Corporation)

 

 

 

 

The suggested questions are included to enhance
your group's reading of Rosanna Chiofalo's
Rosalia's Bittersweet Pastry Shop
.