CARDAMOM CREAM CAKE

INGREDIENTS Time: 2 ½ hours, plus cooling Yield: 8 to 10 servings

For the ricotta filling: 680g fresh whole-milk ricotta (2 1/2 cups) 120ml heavy cream 95g confectioners’ sugar 1 tsp rose water, or to taste (see note)

For the milk syrup: 475ml whole milk 4 cardamom pods 6 tbs granulated sugar 1½ tsp rose water, or to taste

For the cake: 12 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (1½ sticks), more for greasing pan

METHOD

Drain the ricotta in a fine mesh sieve placed in a large bowl for one to two hours until very thick. If you’ve bought very thick, very freshly made ricotta from a specialty shop (not the kind from the supermarket), you can skip this step. Meanwhile, make the milk syrup: In a small saucepan, combine milk and cardamom pods. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until it reduces by half, 30 to 45 minutes. Stir in sugar until it dissolves, then keep simmering until mixture thickens to the texture of half and half, about 10 minutes longer. Let cool, strain to remove cardamom and any coagulated milk, then stir in rose water. (Syrup can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated.) Make the cake: Heat the oven to 180C. Grease two 9-inch cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper; grease the parchment. Flour the entire pan and parchment paper, tapping out any excess. In a medium bowl, lightly whisk together egg whites, milk, vanilla and rose water. Using an electric mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cardamom and salt, and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add butter and about a third of the milk-egg white mixture. Mix on low speed until dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed and beat for a minute or so until everything is very smooth. Scrape down sides and bottom of the bowl. Add remaining milk mixture in three batches, beating well in between additions. Scrape down sides. Transfer batter to the prepared pans and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake until a tester inserted near the centre 330g cake flour, more for flouring pan 4 large egg whites 240ml whole milk ½ tsp vanilla extract ½ tsp rose water 300g granulated sugar 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp ground cardamom ¼ tsp fine sea salt

For the mascarpone frosting:

170g unsalted butter, softened (1½ sticks) 125g confectioners’ sugar 1 tsp rose water, or to taste ½ tsp ground cardamom 240ml cold mascarpone 60ml cold Greek yoghurt 50g pistachios, toasted and chopped Candied rose petals, for garnish (optional) comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the centre, 25 to 35 minutes. The cakes should start to shrink from the sides of the pans only after removal from the oven. Let the cakes cool in the pans on racks for 20 minutes, then unmould and cool completely. Make the ricotta filling: Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat ricotta, cream and confectioners’ sugar until quite smooth, about 30 seconds. Beat in rose water to taste. Beat on medium-high speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Mixture will thicken. Make the mascarpone frosting: Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, confectioners’ sugar, rose water and cardamom until fluffy, about 2 minutes. On low speed, beat in mascarpone and yoghurt until mixture is just combined and looks smooth. Do not overbeat or mixture may curdle. When the cakes have cooled, use a long serrated knife to trim the tops of the cakes, so they are flat and even. Cut each cake in half into two layers, to make a four-layer cake. Brush layers on all sides with milk syrup. Place one cake round on a cake stand or serving platter, then top with one-third of the ricotta filling, leaving a small border around the edge of the cake. Repeat with remaining cake layers and filling. Frost top and sides of the cake with mascarpone frosting. Top with chopped pistachios and candied rose petals, if using. Chill until ready to serve. Note: If you’d prefer not to use rose water in any part of the recipe, you can substitute vanilla extract or brandy in the same amounts.