Cassatine

To prepare the mini cassata cakes, first place the ricotta in a sieve set over a bowl 1. Place a plate and a weight on top 2. Let the ricotta drain overnight. Then weigh it and transfer it to a bowl. Pat it dry with a paper towel and add the sugar 3.

Mix well with a spoon 4 and once you have a homogeneous mixture, transfer it to a blender. Blend well until you have a very smooth texture 5. Then transfer it to a pastry bag without a nozzle 6 and place in the refrigerator.

Now prepare the sponge cake. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, pour in the eggs and sugar 7. Start whipping with the electric beaters, then add the salt 8. Continue to whip and meanwhile sift the flour 9.

Don't rush, and only when the eggs are well whipped, add the flour 10 and mix with the whisk for a few seconds 11. Finish mixing with a spatula, then transfer the mixture to a 12x16 inch pan lined with parchment paper 12.

Level the surface with a spatula 13 and bake in a ventilated preheated oven at 320°F for 30 minutes on the lower-middle rack. Then remove from the oven 14 and let cool. Meanwhile, prepare the syrup. Pour water and sugar into a small saucepan 15 and bring to a boil.

When the sugar is completely dissolved, add the alkermes 16 and mix. Then let cool 17. Once the sponge cake is cool, turn it over onto a cutting board and cut out discs using a cookie cutter about 3 inches in diameter 18.

Now transfer the sponge cake discs into ring molds of the same size, about 2 inches high 19. Soak them with the alkermes syrup 20 and fill them with the ricotta cream 21. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 10 hours.

After this time, prepare the almond paste. Dust a surface with plenty of powdered sugar, place the almond paste on top, and add more powdered sugar 22. Roll out the paste using a rolling pin 23, until you reach a thickness of 1/12 inch, always adding more powdered sugar to prevent it from sticking to the surface 24.

Now place a sheet of parchment paper on a tray, add more powdered sugar 25 and dust the almond paste again with powdered sugar. Cut it 26 to obtain discs and transfer them to the tray 27. Store in the fridge?

Now prepare the candied fruit. Slice the orange 28 and the citron 29. Then cut the tangerines into quarters without breaking the inside pulp 30

and do the same with the kumquats 31. Also, make small buttons with the orange. Arrange them all on a small tray 32 and set aside until decorating. Transfer one of the mini cassata cakes to a plate, place an almond paste disc inside the ring mold 33,

then remove the ring mold 34 and decorate with candied fruit and coffee beans 35. Do the same for all the others. The mini cassata cakes are now ready to serve 36.