Hertzoggie Ricotta cake
"Hertzoggie" Ricotta Cake
Summer is starting to wind down. The sun is setting earlier everyday and I am greeted with fresh air in the morning. I don't want it to be over already! The vacation jet setters have packet their bags and have headed home, but here and there a few nostalgic guests still hanging around. Trying to soak up the last bit of the Mediterranean sunshine.The mood has changed somehow. The stores are stocked with winter clothes whilst it is still 26° outside. It's so confusing!
But... for now I get to soak up the last bit of summer with a visit to Italy with my hubby!! Movies are being watched like Eat, pray, love, Life is beautiful, The tourist and Under the Tuscan sun. Just to prepare us for a Bellissimo experience! I cannot wait (with an Italian accent) We are going to Rome, Florence and Venice for four days. Which is going to be a quick and intensive traveling session. I have a beautiful backpack that I bought here at one of the boutiques. I got my leather theme down for Florence! It was such a good price to! (contact me for further details)
My recipe this week is certainly not Italian. I have been wanting to share this one for quite some time. It has Ricotta in it and that qualifies as an Italian right? We all know their desserts of choice are Tiramisu, Cannoli, Biscotti and Panna cotta.
For mains there are ravioli, lasagne, pizza and loads of other pasta dishes to choose from. I might come back 10kg heavier... Oh well I'll just buy a new pair of pants like Julia Roberts.
Hertzoggie Ricotta cake. The name in it self is enough if you know what a Hertzoggie actually is. It's a butter based cookie filled with apricot jam and coconut meringue 'icing'. It's just so spectacular. It's glamorous, but all the same down to earth. It's truly south african. I know what you are thinking though, why am I posting South African recipes whilst living in France? We had south african guests over and no "braai" can be better accompanied than with a proper homemade South African "gourmandise".
The combination of Ricotta cheese, almonds and apricots just work perfectly. This summer has supplied loads of fresh, ripe apricots that gives this cake a tangy kick. The coconut "icing" provides a lift, because this dense cake on its own can be quite heavy on a summers day. The balance is unmistakably perfect. For me it was a gamble making this cake because I haven't let my taste tester a.k.a husband tell me his thoughts on it. But oh thats how it goes. It all worked out well in the end...I just forgot to put sugar in the custard, that is served with the cake. My guests were quite "gentil"(nice in french) about it.
Ingredients
1/2 butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs at room temperature
1/2 almond meal
1/2 shredded coconut
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 salt
5 ml vanilla
1 cup Ricotta
5 fresh apricots
1/2 cup apricot jam
Meringue
1/2 sugar
4 egg whites
1 cup coconut
Methord:
1. Place all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Separate the four eggs and place in two different mixing bowls.
3. Mix the butter and the four egg yolks until fluffy and smooth.
4. Add the vanilla essence , sugar, ricotta and 1/4 cup of apricot jam in to the egg yolk mixture.
5. Add the wet ingredients in to the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon.
6. Pour the dough into a parchment paper lined cake pan.
7. Slice the apricots in to thin slices. Place on top of the cake in circular motion.
8. Spread the rest of the apricot jam on to the fresh apricots.
9. Bake for 30 min @18°C until brown.
10. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer, while adding 1/2 sugar until shiny and smooth.
11. Fold in the 1 cup shredded coconut with a spatula.
12. Spread the "icing" onto the cake 10 minutes after you have removed the cake from the oven and bake for a further 20 min, until the meringue is cooked and brown.
13. Serve with Crème anglaise.
Bien Mange!
Can't wait to tell you all about my trip and share a few recipes. Still got a few days to go, got to start packing!
Fino a prossima volta.
M*
