Authentic Zuccotto Recipe (with Ricotta)

Make the Pan di Spagna

1. First, preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Then sift together the flour and the potato starch in a bowl. Mix them well and set aside.
2. Place the eggs and sugar in a planetary mixer. Whip at moderate speed. If you have an electric mixer graduated from 1 to 10, the correct speed is 6.
3. Beat the eggs with the sugar for 15/20 minutes until the mixture has become light and fluffy and has doubled its volume.
4. When the eggs and sugar are ready, puffy and frothy, turn off the mixer. Take the sifted flours and add them a little at a time to the cream of eggs and sugar. Mix RIGOROUSLY BY HAND and slowly making movements from the bottom up, so as not to disassemble the mixture.
5. Cover a springform cake pan of 22 cm (9 inch) with baking paper and pour the mixture into the cake pan, using a spatula to level the surface.
6. Bake the Pan di Spagna in a preheated oven at 170°C (340°F) for about 50 minutes.

Make the Ricotta Cream

1. Remove the excess liquid from the ricotta by draining it through a sieve. Then place the well drained ricotta in a bowl and add the sugar. Mix well with a whisk to make a cream.
2. Whip the whipping cream. Slowly add it to the ricotta mixture, mixing from the bottom up to prevent it from deflating.
3. Take ⅓ of the mixture, transfer it into a second bowl and add the sifted bitter cocoa powder, mixing perfectly.
4. In the bowl with ⅔ of ricotta cream add the chocolate chips.
5. MAKE THE ZUCCOTTO

Make the Zuccotto

1. Take the sponge cake that has cooled completely, cut the top to remove the thin crust. Then cut it into long slices about 1 cm thick (about ½ inch).
2. Take a 8 inch (20 cm) Hemisphere Ball Cake Pan and line the inside with plastic wrap. Arrange the sponge cake slices in the mold, covering it completely. Press well with your hands to compact the pieces of sponge cake together.
3. Then, using a brush, wet the sponge cake with the Alchermes diluted with a little water.
4. Make layers with the creams. Put the chocolate cream on the bottom of the zuccotto and then fill with the ricotta cream and chocolate chips on top. This way you have two layers of filling.
5. Level the ricotta and chocolate chip cream with a spoon. Then cover with more strips of sponge cake.
6. Wrap the Zuccotto with cling film. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours to allow it to cool and take the right shape.
7. After the cooling time has elapsed, invert the Zuccotto directly into a serving dish. Remove the transparent film and sprinkle it with unsweetened cocoa. Cut the zuccotto cake into slices and serve.