Sicilian Cassata

For the sponge cake:
• 6 eggs
• 200g caster sugar
• 200g flour

For the filling:
• 500g sheep’s milk ricotta
• 300g caster sugar
• 100g dark chocolate, chopped
• 1 vanilla pod

For the syrup:
• 150 ml water
• 50g caster sugar
• 50 ml Marsala wine

For the icing:
• 300g icing sugar
• 80 ml water

For the marzipan coating:
• 150g marzipan
• 15g pistachios or green food colouring

To decorate:
• Assorted candied or glace fruit (mandarine, loquat, orange)

1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
2. Grease and flour a 24 cm cake tin.
3. Whisk eggs with sugar until light and frothy. Using a silicone spatula gradually fold in the sifted flour with a gentle movement from bottom to top so as to contain the air.
4. Carefully pour batter into the cake tin.
5. Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting.
6. Meanwhile, for the filling, add the sugar and vanilla beans (scraped from the pod) to the ricotta. Beat together to obtain a smooth, creamy mixture. Incorporate the chocolate and set in fridge to rest for a couple of hours.
7. Line the base and sides of a 24 cm tin with the sponge cake.
8. For the moistening syrup, stir sugar and water until the sugar is dissolved; then pour in a shot of Marsala. Brush liquid onto the sponge to moisten it slightly.
9. Pour the ricotta mixture into the sponge mould and cover surface with a round disc of sponge cake. Moisten this with the syrup. Leave in fridge to set for about an hour.
10. Blend the marzipan with the pistachios and roll out to a round disc 5 mm thick.
11. Take the cassata from the fridge and turn it over onto a serving plate. Cover with the marzipan.
12. For the icing, dissolve icing sugar in water over a low heat until transparent.
13. Pour the warm icing over the top and sides of the cassata using a spatula to spread it evenly before it solidifies.
14. Decorate with candied fruit.