Mascarpone Cake and Philosophical Discussions

So, its been 7 weeks now since we arrived in Modena.

The nights are getting longer and the chill in the air is starting to bite first thing in the morning.
Italian children go to school wearing 4 to 5 layers of clothing, only to have them removed meticulously, once inside. The temperature in the classrooms can rise up to 38 degrees celsius, and thats without the heating on lol.



In my classroom, temperatures rise quite high on a Tuesday and Thursday evening. Don't get me wrong, I do love all my students, but I have a weak spot for this group because they do enjoy a heated debate.

Now, picture the scene. A group of youngish professionals, highly educated and incredibly communicative, chatting to each other about the meaning of happiness and what defines intelligence in an English level equivalent to that of a semi beginner! I am so proud of them! I am in awe of them!
I throw little hooks in to get them chatting and I sit back and enjoy it to the full, whilst correcting, practising, drilling and teaching here and there.

But it is them who make the lesson. With their enthusiam, knowledge, insights and thirst for learning that make it an incredible experience! I can honestly say that I enjoy every microsecond of it...

So this recipe comes from one of those amazing characters.
Vannalisa is sweet, genuine, incredibly keen and molto, molto carina (lovely).
Her mum is an amazing cook and Vanallisa has shared this recipe with me, which is particularly special to her because her mum has cooked this cake for her every year on her birthday!

It is very similar to Tiramisu but with slight variations! I hope you do try it.

Mascarpone Cake

Ingredients

  

. 500 gs of Mascarpone (you can find it at in the fridge counter at the supermarket. It's very common in Italy!)

 .100 gs of thinly cut toasted almonds

. 20 dried biscuits ( original recipe asks for 'Savoiardi' or ladyfingers,  but I prefer normal dried biscuits, for example 'Oro Saiwa' or 'Pavesini') 

. 15 to 20 macaroons such as 'amaretti'

. 250 gs of sugar

. 250 gs of chocolate flakes

. Coffee liquer 'Sassolino' for soaking the biscuits . As you prefer. If you don't like liquer, like me, you can soak them in some milky coffee and you will still have a very good cake!

 . 3 eggs

Method

Separate the egg yolks from the whites

Mix the egg yolks with the sugar. Whisk the whites (very well, please!) and mix the yolk and sugar mixture, including the whites with the nascarpone.

 
Add the crushed amaretti and toasted dried almonds.

Before putting the biscuits into the cake dish, soak them in the Sassolino or simply in the milky coffee (I think it's better, especially for your son, you dont want him to get drunk lol)

Be careful when you soak them as the biscuits must remain whole.

Pad the cake dish with the biscuits, creating the base and edge of the cake.

Pour over a layer of the mascarpone mixture and top with biscuits. 

Repeat as above, layer upon layer, ( your final layer should be of the mascarpone mixture).

Garnish the final layer layer with the chocolate chips and place in the fridge foor a few hours.

Buon Appetito!

I hope you like it. 

With love,

Vannalisa