Best Lucy Ferignos Ricotta Cake Recipes

LUCY FERIGNO'S RICOTTA CAKE

Steps:

• Place ricotta in a fine-mesh sieve and set aside to drain for approximately one hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large bowl, mix together drained ricotta, salt, flour, sugar, egg yolks and orange rind. Beat well for approximately five minutes until mixture is thick. Add candied peel and mix well with a wooden spoon to distribute pieces throughout mixture.
• In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Fold gently but thoroughly into egg yolk mixture.
• Butter and flour a deep, round, springform cake pan, 8 1/2 to 9 inches in diameter. Pour batter into pan - it should not be more than half full. Place in oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until middle is firm to the touch and cake is lightly golden brown on top.
• Remove from oven and set aside to cool. As the cake cools, it will shrink somewhat. When cool, remove sides of pan and gently transfer cake to a serving dish. Sift confectioner's sugar and cinnamon, mixed together, over the top.

RICOTTA CAKE

Steps:

• To prepare dough: combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Knead dough and roll with rolling pin to form thin layer.
• To prepare filling: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, cooked rice, eggs, salt, sugar, and vanilla extract. Line ovenproof dish, or pie plate, with the dough, reserving any extra dough. Place filling in dough. Use leftover dough to decorate top of cake. If using dough on top, sprinkle with cake decorations. Bake for 40 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.

LUCY FERIGNO'S RICOTTA PUFFS

Steps:

• Place ricotta in a fine-mesh sieve and drain thoroughly, for approximately one hour.
• In a large bowl, beat together eggs, ricotta, sugar and liqueur. Beat for approximately 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth and thick.
• Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Fold flour into eggs and cheese. Mix well. Set aside, refrigerated, to rest for about an hour.
• Over medium high heat bring oil to frying temperature. Test by tossing in a cube of white bread - if it sizzles and browns quickly, oil is ready.
• Drop egg-cheese mixture by tablespoons full into hot oil. Turn once to brown both sides. When they are puffed up and well browned, remove and drain on absorbent paper.
• When drained and cool, sprinkle puffs with powdered sugar.

LEMON RICOTTA CAKE

Steps:

• For lemon curd, in a small bowl, combine eggs and egg yolks. In a heavy saucepan, cook and stir the sugar, lemon juice and butter over medium heat until smooth. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into eggs; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly. Cover and chill until thickened, about 1-1/2 hours or overnight., Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the ricotta cheese, buttermilk, lemon zest, vanilla and lemon juice. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk mixture, beating well after each addition., Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., Using a citrus zester, remove zest from lemons in long narrow strips; toss with sugar. Let stand for 30 minutes. (Save fruit for another use.) Meanwhile, in a large bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar, milk, grated lemon zest, vanilla and salt; beat until smooth., Cut each cake in half horizontally. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Pipe a circle of frosting around edge of cake. Spread a third of the lemon curd inside frosting. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides. If desired, pipe a decorative border of frosting using a star tip, and decorate sides of cake with colored sugar. Garnish with lemon zest strips. Store in the refrigerator.