Limoncello Almond Ricotta Cake →

I love all things lemon! Here’s a moist, delicious, lemony cake based on Migliaccio the Semolina Ricotta Cake typically served in Italian households to celebrate Easter and Carnevale. This is an excellent gluten-free alternative Ricotta Cake and one worth considering as an alternative to or alongside the traditional pumpkin pie often served on Thanksgiving here in the U.S. Whatever the celebration if you love lemon flavor as I do, you should give this recipe a try. Buon appetito!

LIMONCELLO & RICOTTA ALMOND CAKE
Yield: 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened

• 1 1/3 cups sugar

• 1 cup full-fat ricotta

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• finely grated zest from 1 lemon washed (a fine Microplane is useful here)

• 3 eggs, room temperature, separated, whites and yokes reserved

• 3 tablespoons Limoncello (home made or store-bought)

• 2 1/2 cups almond flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/3 cup sliced almonds

• Powdered sugar, for dusting 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 320 F degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until incorporated. Mix in the ricotta, vanilla, and lemon zest.

3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the egg yolks, one at a time, continuing to beat until very light and creamy. Add in the limoncello, almond flour, and baking powder and beat to combine.

4. In a separate clean chilled bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the cake mixture. (Don’t worry if white streaks remain – they will disappear once in the oven.)

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan. Smooth the top with a spatula or spoon. Sprinkle with the sliced almonds. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until firm yet jiggly and slightly springy to the touch.

6. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan. (It will fall slightly.) Dust with powdered sugar and serve!

 Adapted from: https://eatalianrecipes.com/grandmas-limoncello-ricotta-almond-cake/

Baked Peaches with Almond Filling (Pesche con Amaretti) →

Peach and almond flavors mix perfectly to produce one of my favorite flavor profiles. Often made using crumbled Amaretti cookies, comprised of only five ingredients, this recipe by Italian Chef Deborah Dal Fovo goes the extra step to grind sliced almonds to make the filling for these delicious summer treats. Whether you use Freestone or Clingstone peaches, what is most important is that you use fresh ripe peaches. Our local orchard produces and picks peaches that ripen within two days, so we don’t worry about our peaches going from stone-hard to moldy and over-ripe before we can eat them. If you have access to a local farmers’ market or orchard, I strongly suggest you buy your peaches there. You won’t regret it! Enjoy!  

Baked Peaches with Amaretti Filling
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
·  3 ripe yet firm yellow Freestone peaches, without soft spots or blemishes (See *Note)
·  4 tablespoons/60g sugar
·  6 tablespoons (1-1/3 ounces/38grams) finely ground blanched, peeled almonds
·  2 tablespoons melted butter/28g, plus more to grease baking dish
·  Dry white wine, Dry Marsala, or Amaretto (I use Amaretto)
·  Soft whipped cream to garnish (optional with a teaspoon or two of Triple Sec or other orange liqueur) 

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Generously butter a 9-inch baking dish, preferably made of porcelain or glass.
1. Wash the peaches under cold, running water, and pat dry. Divide each peach in half lengthwise by using a sharp knife to cut along the natural crease of the fruit that runs from the stem dimple then continue around its circumference. Separate the peach halves by gently twisting them apart then remove and discard the pits.
2. Using a melon ball tool or teaspoon, hollow a round 1-inch cavity from the center of each peach half and scoop out the pulp, reserving it for the filling. Arrange the peach halves with cut sides up in the baking dish, placing them close together and leaning against one another so they don't tip during baking.
3. Pulse 1-1/3 ounces/38g blanched, peeled almonds with 1 tablespoon sugar in a food processor until very fine.
4. Chop the reserved peach pulp finely and place in a mixing bowl or small food processor. Add 4 tablespoons of the sugar, ground almonds, 1 tablespoon of the melted butter, and any peach juices that have accumulated on the cutting board, then mix well to combine.
5. Brush the surface of each peach lightly with Amaretto and remaining melted butter. Fill the hollow of each peach with about 1-tablespoon of the almond filling to form a neat mound about the size of a walnut in the center.
6. Place in the center of the hot oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the peaches are tender when tested with the point of a paring knife and amaretti filling is lightly golden. Remove from oven and cool for at least 15 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature, plain or garnished with a dollop of lightly sweetened soft whipped cream.

*Note: if you can’t find ripe Freestone peaches, ripe Clingstone peaches will work just as well albeit with a bit of work removing the pit.

Adapted from a recipe by Deborah Amore Dal Fovo
http://www.theartofitalianliving.com/baked-sunset-peaches-with-amaretti-filling-recipe/