Sicilian Cassata - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb poundcake (homemade or store bought is ok for this)
1/4 cup white Creme de Cacao
1/4 cup cointraeu orange liqueur
2 lbs whole milk ricotta cheese (homemade recipe if you like)
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 -2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup almonds, toasted and chopped
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (1/2 bag, I prefer mini, but you can use regular too)

Preparation

In a small bowl, combine the creme de cacao and cointreau and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the ricotta cheese and sugar until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup or more for frosting. In the large bowl, add in the vanilla and cinnamon and blend well. Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips.
Place slices of cake in a serving dish (approximately 8 x 8) to cover the bottom. Sprinkle with the liquor and smooth on some ricotta mixture.
Continue to layer until the dish is full.
Top with the reserved frosting and you can garnish with some additional toasted almonds.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least overnight.