Ricotta, Orange And Salted Chocolate Cake

By Sophie Dahl

This cake was one of those happy discoveries to do with what happened to be in the fridge. It's a winner, and better, if it cracks, you can hide the evidence with icing sugar and pistachios.

  • Serves: 12

Ingredients

  • 500g drained ricotta
  • Zest of one Orange
  • 4 Eggs, separated
  • 250 g Muscovado sugar
  • 250g ground almonds
  • 250 g of salted dark chocolate melted
  • 1 vanilla pod sliced lengthways, seeds removed
  • 1/2 cup of orange juice
  • Icing sugar and crushes pistachios to serve

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and flour a 24cm cake tin and leave to the side
  2. Sieve the ricotta into a bowl, using a wooden spoon to push it through the sieve. Add to it the eggs yolks, sugar, ground almonds, melted chocolate, orange juice and vanilla seeds and combine.
  3. In a clean bowl (I do it in my kitchen aid) whisk the egg whites until peaks are formed. Using a metal spoon fold the egg white into the ricotta mixture. Combine it slowly, trying to keep it as airy as possible. Put the cake mix into your prepared tin, and smooth on top. Bake for 45 minutes.
  4. Take it from the oven, let it cool, and then transfer to a cake plate. Dust with icing sugar and crushed pistachios.
  5. I serve it with a dollop of orange infused creme fraiche.