Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites (26 page)

Believe it or not, cakes like this one, featuring nuts and dried fruits, are very popular in Venice. There it would be considered an afternoon snack to serve with coffee, but it’s wonderful for breakfast as well.

6 to 8 servings

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch cake pan.

Combine ¼ cup of the almonds and ¼ cup of the pine nuts in a dry skillet and place over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and toasted, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and cool for a few minutes, then pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Transfer the nuts to a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and stir to combine. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs and the sugar until the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Add the butter and milk and combine, then stir in the almond extract and apricots by hand. Gently stir in the dry ingredients.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the remaining ¼ cup of sliced almonds and ¼ cup of pine nuts. Bake until the cake is cooked and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let the cake cool on a wire rack. Use a knife to loosen the edges. Turn the cake out, cut in wedges, and serve.

Here’s another recipe in which just a few ingredients come together to make a big, big impression. It’s not as dense as the name suggests, because the beaten egg whites lighten it up considerably, as do the crumbled cookies. Think of this next time you’re looking for an unusual birthday cake; with its layer of marmalade and crumbled cookie topping it’s elegant enough for any important occasion.

8 to 10 servings

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch cake pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.

Combine the 20 amaretti cookies and the chocolate chips in a food processor and process until the mixture is very finely chopped. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer and a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, incorporating each yolk before adding the next. Once all the eggs are added, continue to cream the mixture together until light and fluffy, about 4 more minutes. Add the orange liqueur. With the machine on low, add the flour and the chocolate amaretti mixture, mixing well after each addition.

In a medium bowl, whip the egg whites (using the electric mixer and clean beaters) until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Add one third of the whipped egg whites to the batter and mix until combined. Gently fold the remaining egg whites into the batter until just barely combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a platter and cool to room temperature. Spread the orange marmalade over the top of the cake in an even layer, and sprinkle with the remaining crushed amaretti cookies.

Pound cakes are perennially popular because they are such good keepers; this one will keep in the freezer for up to six months if it’s tightly wrapped. Pull it out and dress it up or dress it down; it’s great either way.

6 to 8 servings

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 × 5 × 3-inch loaf pan with butter.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine.

Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, ricotta, and the 1½ cups of granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until each is incorporated before adding the next. Add the vanilla, orange zest, and Amaretto and mix until combined. Add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, beating just until incorporated.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake is beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, 45 to 50 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Using a sieve, dust the cooled cake with confectioners’ sugar.

Meanwhile, place the strawberries in a small bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar. Toss to combine, then set aside until the strawberries have released some of their juices.

To serve, slice the cake and serve topped with a spoonful of strawberries and their juices.

More cakey than crispy, these ladylike little tea cakes puff up as they bake, almost like little muffin tops. The lemon glaze on top adds a tart, crunchy layer.

Makes 44 cookies

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice and beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough onto the baking sheets using about 2 tablespoons for each cookie. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

While they cool, combine the confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about ½ teaspoon of the glaze onto each cooled cookie and use the back of the spoon to spread it to the edges. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. Pack the cookies in an airtight container.

Anytime I can find a way to incorporate Nutella into a recipe, I will. These treats are what my grandmother used to make and referred to as “biscotti.” So in keeping with her tradition, I’ll do the same, even though these are more like a drop cookie, more buttery and moist than the usual biscotti, which are generally quite hard and dry.

Makes 36 cookies