Chocolate Ricotta Cake
Servings: 14 to 16 serves
Ingredients
STEP 1 - FIRST STEP OF CHOCOLATE MIX
- 250 g dark chocolate
- 125 g butter
STEP 2 - MAKE THE RICOTTA FILLING
- 125 g butter room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 500 g fresh ricotta I use Mundella - it is slightly wet
- 1/2 cup golden caster sugar
- 3 x 60g eggs
- 1 cup self raising flour sifted
STEP 3 - LAST STEP OF CHOCOLATE MIX
- 3 x 60g eggs
- 1-1/2 cups golden caster sugar
- few drops of almond essence
- 2 cups self raising flour sifted
Instructions
METHOD FOR STEP 1
- Melt the chocolate and butter together in a microwave safe container or a small pot
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then start on the ricotta filling
METHOD FOR STEP 2
- Place butter, vanilla and ricotta into a mixing bowl and beat with a hand beater for 2 minutes until well combined and starting to look creamy
- Add in sugar and beat for another minute
- Add eggs one at a time to fully incorporate - allow another minute to do this
- Put down your hand beater as you will now use a large spoon for the rest of this mix (do not clean the blades as you will use it next for the chocolate mix)
- Add flour and gently incorporate it into the ricotta mix with a large metal spoon ... put aside whilst you go onto finishing the chocolate mix
METHOD FOR STEP 3
- With the electric beater combine the eggs, sugar and almond essence together until light and fluffy
- Then with a large metal spoon (do not beat), stir in the cooled chocolate and butter mix until just combined
- Then again with the large spoon stir in the sifted flour ... the mix will start to really firm up (like a biscuit mix) so don't overdo the mixing as you need to be able to spread it ... you just want the flour to be incorporated
PUTTING IT TOGETHER
- Place 2/3'rds of the chocolate mix onto the base of cake tin and spread it across to the edge
- Top with all the ricotta mix taking it right to the edge too
- Dollop the rest of the chocolate mix across the top of the ricotta mix leaving a little space from the edge … it will be quite stiff so I find dolloping the mix on easier, and then spread it as best as you can with the back of a spoon (does not need to be perfect)
- Use a knife to horizontally place into the cake, then run it lightly through the mixture to create a swirl effect … it will mean some of the top mix will look uneven but don’t worry, when it bakes it will even out beautifully
- Place into oven and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Cool in tin before releasing the sides and removing the baking paper from the base
- Place on a serving platter and dust with icing sugar before serving
- Alternatively top with white chocolate icing and dark chocolate drizzles as described in the notes, and sprinkle edges with icing sugar for a final "florish"
Notes
I have tried to convert this recipe to a Thermomix and whilst I do love my dear machine, this is not one for it. Because of the distinct processes it is easier and quicker to use a hand held electric mixer ... if you don't have one I would encourage you to get one ... they are inexpensive and last forever (mine is almost 20 years old), and whilst I don't use mine often, it is a lifesaver when I do.
Please pay attention to your tin size ... the original recipe states to use a 28cm round tin, but when I measure the base of my 28cm tin it is actually 26cm ... so the important point here is to measure the base of your tin and as long as it is 26cm wide then the cake will fit into it nicely.
Once baked the cake is fabulous simply dusted with icing sugar just before serving ... but as I tend to cook this for special occasions I like to finish it off with a circle of white chocolate icing (see main post for icing recipe) on top leaving a 5cm border, before drizzling with either melted plain dark chocolate, or if I have it in the fridge I will use a little chocolate ganache (see main post for ganache recipe). I always make more white chocolate icing than I need as it keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks, and what I don't use I will then freeze for later.
I also do the same with the chocolate ganache as it keeps well in the fridge for a few weeks, and can be added to a whole range of goodies (see main post for options). When reheating ganache do so very gently, I always use the microwave as I can control that better than a pot or pan ... so remove the amount of ganache you need, place into a plastic container (it doesn't hold the heat like glass) and heat for 5 seconds at a time until you get the fluidity that you need ... so depending on the volume you are melting it can take as little as 10 to 15 seconds total.
So ... onto the recipe itself:
1. The cake is made up of two mixes … the chocolate mix and the ricotta mix
2. The bulk of the chocolate mix is spread across the base of the tin, that is then topped with all the ricotta mix, and then the last of the chocolate mix is dolloped over the top and a knife is inserted and lightly run through the mix to create a swirled finish (the chocolate mix bakes up similar to a biscuit so is quite firm and almost crunchy, whilst the ricotta mix is more cake like and the contrast between the two is quite delicious).
3. I use three containers (one to melt the chocolate and butter in to start with; one for the ricotta mixture; and one for the chocolate mixture which will eventually incorporate the melted chocolate and butter too) and a hand held electric beater
4. Before you start grease the sides of a 26cm (base measurement) spring form round cake tin (measure it) with butter, and place a piece of baking paper across the base ensuring that it extends outside of the tin (so put a square piece of paper over the base, then snap the side ring into position on top of the baking paper so that it extends outside of the tin) ... this will make it easier to remove the cake as I prefer not to turn it upside down) and
5. Preheat your oven to 170 degrees fan forced placing a rack into the middle of the oven Let's bake ...