Biano Mangiare Cake

I made this cake yesterday for dessert. I loved it and although it was a bit of work making the sponge cake, it was well worth it.

Use your favorite sponge cake recipe

What I love about this recipe is that although its a great dessert, its just not sicky sweet. It was just as good tonight as a snack as it was last night.

Biano Mangiare Cake

adapted from Saveur's special issue Authentic Italian (summer 2007)

1 sponge cake 8 or 9 inch round.

Ricotta filling

1 c sugar

1/4 c water

2 c ricotta

4 oz chocolate

1 c candied fruit

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

Mix water and sugar and heat until warm. Mix in the ricotta.

Next chop up the chocolate and mix that in.

Mix in the candied fruit. Add vanilla, cinnamon, liqueur and nuts.

Make your sponge cake in a 8 inch round pan, butter the bottom of the pan and line with buttered parchment paper.
When the cake is cooled, split the cake into two layers.

Put the bottom layer of the cake on a cake plate, spread half the ricotta filling on the bottom layer, top with other half of cake.

Frost sides of the cake with Ganache and press almonds into the sides of the cake.

Ganache:

1 Cup heavy cream

3 oz milk chocolate chopped

5 oz bittersweet chocolate chopped

1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped.

Heat cream in a medium saucepan and bring to boil

over medium heat. Remove from heat and add milk

chocolate and bittersweet chocolate. Let sit for a minute.

Whisk until smooth and set aside until thick enough to spread