Almond and Ricotta Cake
Submitted by ddoug on November 05, 2007 at 4:04 pm

[Uploader's Note: Use the second recipe here]

3 eggs
2 dl sugar
100 gr ground almonds
75 gr salted butter, melted
125 gr ricotta
1 dl rice flour

-Whisk eggs and sugar for a few minutes and then add the ground almonds.

-Add the butter.

- Mash the ricotta with a fork before adding it so that it doesn't get lumpy. When the batter is smooth, it's time to add the flour, always stirring of course.

- Pour it into a cake tin and bake in a pre-heated oven (175° centigrades) for about 25-30 min.

Almond and Ricotta Cake #2

Dessert is always a tricky thing when planning a feast. Most of the confections that we associate with dessert are relatively modern inventions. This isn't to say that people in the Middle Ages didn't have sweets, but they varied greatly depending on the availability of sugar in various communities. Platina contains recipes for numerous pies, some containing meat and some fruit. Le Viandier De Taillevent has a wonderful recipe for an apple pie, which is quite rich and a bit on the tart side. There is also a mention of a number of custards and Blanc Mange (white food) in Platina's 8th book and a score of recipes for fritters in the first half of the 9th. I believe I'm stretching this recipe a bit by serving it at this feast, since the earliest I could really justify its existence would be late 15th century. I chose to include it because it has a similar texture and ingredients to a lot of custard pies and puddings of the period. And besides, it is a very tasty desert!

Cake:
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
5 eggs separated
Grated rind of one orange
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
6 Tbs. almond flour
1 cup sliced, roasted almonds

Glaze:
4 Tbs. apricot jam
2 Tbs. brandy

Place the almonds in a pan and slowly roast them over medium heat. Slice the almonds and set aside.

Cream the butter and 1/2 cup of sugar together and add the egg yolks. Combine thoroughly and add the grated orange rind, ricotta and flour.

In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until they are stiff and add the remaining sugar. Gently fold in the almonds and the egg whites and place the mixture into a greased and lined 8-9-inch springform pan.

Bake at 375° F for 30 minutes, or until the middle is set. Let the cake cool in the pan. Then run a knife around the outside edge and remove it carefully to a platter.

Place the jam into a saucepan and simmer over low heat with 1 Tbs. of water.

Remove from the heat and press through a sieve and stir in the brandy. Pour the glaze onto the cooling cake. Garnish with candied fruit and nuts.