Apple and ricotta delicacy

Beautiful recipe. It includes ricotta, almonds, lemon zest, cognac and raspberry sauce. The outcome had to be good and it was. The texture is not quite as dry as a cake. But it is dry enough to play well with apple pieces and the red sauce.  There is some moisture from ricotta and a fun, delicate crunch from almonds.

The recipe called for cognac, 3 Tablespoons of it. Nice idea. It gave the dessert an exquisite taste but no one could tell what it was. Especially since the cake was not too sweet. French recipes use cognac on a regular basis, in soups, sauces and desserts. 

That's why I purchased some lately to have it on hand. I just have to remember to put the top back on...to avoid a lecturing by Julian.

But the cake is all Italian, it tastes great and looks like a Prada print. 

Recipe adapted from La Prova del Cuoco
time: 30 min preparation + 45 min baking = 75 minutes

ingredients

• 2 medium apples, Golden Delicious or similar, peeled, cored and cut in 1/8 pieces
• 90 g (6 Tablespoons) butter room temperature
• 130 g (2/3 cup) sugar + extra for finishing
• 2 eggs, separated yolks from whites, room temperature
• 180 g (6.5 oz) ricotta room temperature
• zest from 1 lemon
• pinch of salt
• 80 g (1/2 cup) almond meal
• 100 g (2/3 cup) flour
• 50 g (1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon) corn starch
• 1/2 teaspoon (4 g) baking soda
• 45 ml (3 Tablespoons) cognac

300 g (10 oz) frozen raspberries
100 g (1/2 cup) sugar

instructions

1. Preheat oven to 170 C/340 F. Butter and flour (extra butter and flour) a 24-26 cm (10-11 inch) round baking form.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together almond meal, flour, corn starch and baking soda.
3. In a bowl of a standing mixer, using a whisk attachment, beat butter, sugar, egg yolks, pinch of salt and lemon zest together for about 2 minutes. Blend in ricotta till smooth. Change attachment to a paddle. Add flour mix and cognac. Blend it all on low speed just till combined.
4. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites till soft peak forms. Using a spatula, slowly blend the beaten whites into the prepared mix. Don't over mix it, 30 moves should be enough. Transfer the batter into the prepared form. Arrange apples in a ray-pattern. Sprinkle about 1 Tablespoon sugar on top. Place it in a hot oven for 40-45 minutes, till browned on top. 
5. Prepare raspberry sauce. In a small pot, cook towed (at least a bit) raspberries with sugar for 4 minutes. Using a hand food processor, blend the fruit. With a wooden spoon, force berries through a stainless steal wire strainer (only seeds should be left on the strainer).
6. Pour sauce on top of apples (and leave some on the side) and serve.