Cassata siciliana is the baroque masterpiece of Sicilian confectionery—a dome-shaped cake of sponge, sweetened sheep's milk ricotta, candied fruit, marzipan, and royal icing that has been the centrepiece of Easter celebrations in Sicily since at least the Arab period. The construction is architectural in its complexity. A dome-shaped mold is lined with strips of pan di Spagna (Italian sponge cake) brushed with maraschino or rum liqueur. The cavity is filled with a ricotta cream: sheep's milk ricotta drained until dense, beaten with sugar, and enriched with chocolate chips, diced candied fruit (citron, orange, pumpkin, cherry), and sometimes pistachios. The filled dome is refrigerated until firm, then unmolded and coated first with a thin layer of marzipan (pasta reale—made from Sicilian almonds and sugar), then with a smooth white or pale green royal icing (ghiaccia reale) that sets to a glossy, fondant-like finish. The decoration—and here is where cassata enters the realm of edible art—involves elaborate arrangements of candied fruit, marzipan flowers, silver dragées, and sugar-paste ornaments that can reach a level of visual complexity approaching religious art. The best cassate, made by the monasteries and pasticcerie of Palermo, are works of genuine artistry. The flavour profile is dense, sweet, and deeply satisfying: the moist sponge, the grainy-sweet ricotta studded with fruit and chocolate, the almond-sweet marzipan, and the smooth icing create layers of sweetness that are meant to be consumed in small, rich portions. Cassata is traditionally made for Easter but is available year-round in Palermitan pasticcerie. The name may derive from the Arabic 'qas'at' (a large round bowl), connecting the dish to the Arab pastry traditions that shaped Sicilian confectionery.
Line mold with rum-brushed sponge cake. Fill with drained sheep's milk ricotta, candied fruit, chocolate. Coat with marzipan then royal icing. Decorate elaborately with candied fruit. Refrigerate until set. Rich—serve in small portions.
The ricotta must be very well drained—24 hours minimum. Use real Sicilian marzipan (pasta di mandorla) for authentic flavour. The sponge should be brushed generously with liqueur but not soaked to the point of disintegration. Cassata improves over 2-3 days in the refrigerator as flavours marry.
Using undrained ricotta (weeps and softens the cake). Skimping on the candied fruit. Using generic marzipan instead of Sicilian almond paste. Making the icing too thick. Not allowing sufficient chilling time. Serving too large a portion.
Mary Taylor Simeti, Sicilian Food; Carol Field, The Italian Baker