Apricot Mascarpone Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup salted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 None egg
1 tbsp powdered gelatin
1 lb cottage cheese, pressed through a fine-mesh strainer
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 lb mascarpone cheese
1 (15 oz) can apricots, drained, roughly chopped
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2-3 drops red and turquoise food coloring
1 2/3 cups heavy cream
2 oz pistachios, finely chopped
3 tbsp apricot jam, strained

Preparation

Grease and dust a 10 inch springform pan. Place flour in a bowl. Cut in butter then add 1/3 cup sugar and baking powder. Add egg and mix to combine. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 mins.
Preheat oven to 375\u00b0F. Set 1/5 of dough aside. Roll out remainder on a lightly floured surface and use to line the base pan. Roll out remaining dough and cut out 2 1/2 inch butterfly shapes. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake butterflies for about 15 mins and cake base for 20-25 mins, or until pale golden.
Bloom gelatin in a bowl of cold water for 10 mins to soften. Combine cottage cheese, remaining granulated sugar, vanilla and 1/2 the mascarpone. Heat remaining mascarpone in a small saucepan until thinned and beginning to bubble around the edges. Add bloomed gelatin. Remove from heat and stir until dissolved. Add to cottage cheese mixture along with apricots. Transfer to cake pan and level surface. Chill for at least 2 hours, or until set.
For the icing, beat powdered sugar with 4 tsp water until smooth. Color 1/2 red and 1/2 turquoise. Transfer to separate piping bags fitted with writing tips and use to decorate the butterfly cookies.
Whip cream to medium-firm peaks. Transfer 2/3 cup to a piping bag fitted with a large plain tip. Spread remainder over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle some pistachios over center of cake and press remainder around sides. Pipe heavy cream in a decorative pattern around the top edges of the cake.
Gently heat jam with 1 tsp water and whisk until smooth. Let cool slightly then spoon over piped whipped cream. Arrange butterflies in center of cake.