Cassata Siciliana - cooking recipe

Ingredients

600 g natural almond marzipan
220 g madeira cake
6 tablespoons marsala
250 g mascarpone
250 g ricotta cheese
100 g caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 peaches
100 g sugar
100 ml white wine
50 g candied peel
25 g chocolate, chopped

Preparation

Boil 100ml wine and 100g sugar, add the sliced peaches and leave to cool in the liquid.
Line a shallow rectangular dish with cling film ( 27cm x 18 x 5 cm).
on a surface dusted with icing sugar, roll out 2/3 of the marzipana and line the bottom and sides of the tin.
Slice the cake into 1/2 cmm slices and line the bottom. Mix the marsala with 3 tbsp liquid from the peaches then sprinkle half or it on the cake.
Mix the ricotta ( and mascarpone if using) with the sugar and vanilla, then mix in the cooled chopped peaches, chocolate and chopped candied peel.
Spread evenly over cake, then top with the rest of the cake and sprinkle with remaining marsala.
Roll out the remaining marzipan and lay it on top. Pinch to seal, neaten the edges.
Chill 3 hours at least. Can be kept in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Invert into a serving platter and dust with icing sugar. Decorate with extra candied peel.