Recipe: Cassata recipes (2) & a little history

Sandy, This is a very rich dessert, great for desser parties,
but probably too rich to follow most meal. It is served in
Sicily for weddings, Christmas & Easter. It signifies the
beginning of a new way of life. It is usually made w/cherries
(either candied or maraschino). I've enclosed 2 recipes, but
you will have to substitute the strawberries in them.

Cassata alla Siciliana
Yield: 16 servings

1 bakery pound cake (about 9 in. long)
2/3 C orange juice
1/4 C rum
1 lb creamed cottage cheese (try substituting ricotta)
1/4 C sugar
1/2 C semi-sweet chocolate pieces, chopped
1/4 C chopped candied cherries or maraschino cherries,
drained on paper towels
1/4 C golden chopped raisins

Chocolate Frosting

2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 1/2 C confectioner's sugar
3 T butter or margarine
2 T hot coffee
1 egg yolk

Split cake into 5 layers. Combine orage juice & rum; reserve
3 T. sprinkle remainder over cake layers. Process cheese,
sugar & 3 T. rum mixture in blender until smooth (best to do
in several batches). Stir in chocolate, cherries & raisins.
Place bottom cake layer on long platter; spread filling
between layers, while stacking them. Chill. combine ingredients
for frosting, adding hot water or confectioner's sugar as
necessary to give spreading consistency. Spread 3/4 on top
& sides of cake; press remainder through pastry tube to make
decorative swirls. Refrigerate at least 1 day. Garnish base
w/decorative candy, flowers or leaves.

Christmas Cassata
Yield: 2 cakes, 6 to 8 servings each

2 small all butter pound cakes, slighty frozen
2 C whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 C red & green cherries, finely chopped (optional)
(or this is where you would substitute the strawberries)
2/3 C mini chocolate chips
1 oz orange liqueur
1 12 oz jar red raspberry jam

Frosting

6 oz unsweetened chocolate
3/4 C (1 1/2 sticks) butter
1 lb confectioners sugar
6 T brewed coffee
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt

Slice each cake into 4 layers while slightly frozen. Drain
any liquid from the ricotta. Process in blender or food
processor until smooth; mix in the cherries, if desired.
Combine chips & liqueur w/jam. Spread abut 1/3 C cheese on
2 bottom cake layers. Top w/about the same amount of jam.
Top w/cake & continue layering, ending w/cake. Wrap in
plastic wrap, gently pressing layers together. Refrigerate
overnite. (Can also be frozen & this point.) Next day,
prepare frosting. Melt chocolate & butter in double boiler.
Stir in remaining ingredients, mixing well. Put top of
double boiler over a bowl of ice water & beat w/electric
mixer until spreadable. Clean sides of chilled cakes &
frost. Make bark-like designs w/the tines of a fork.
Decorate w/candied cherries or toasted almonds if desired.
Refrugerate yntuk 1/2 hr before serving, or freeze one for
future use.