Italian Desserts Recipes - Umbrian Carnival Cake (Cicerchiata) Recipe

Ingredients                               

• 4 eggs

• 30 ml/2 tbsp olive oil

• 30 ml/2 tbsp Cointreau

• Grated rind of 1 lime

• 350 g/12 oz/3 cups plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted

• Oil for deep-frying

• 450 g/1 1/4 cups thick honey

• 175 g/6 oz/1 1/2 cups chopped almonds

• 75 g/3 oz/1/2 cup glace (candied) cherries, chopped

• Colored sugar strands, to decorate

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Method:

1. Beat the eggs in a large bowl and add the olive oil. Stir in the Cointreau and lime rind and work in the flour.

2. Knead the dough for 5 minutes. Roll into thin sticks. Cut off very small pieces of the dough and roll into balls the size of small hazelnuts.

3. Heat the oil and fry (sauté) the small balls until crisp and brown. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.

4. Melt the honey in a saucepan over a moderate heat for 10 minutes until the mixture thickens.

5. Add the dough balls, chopped almonds and cherries to the honey and stir thoroughly.

6. Turn the mixture out on to an oiled marble slab or cold surface and shape into a ring.

7. Scatter with the sugar strands, leave to cool, transfer to a clean plate and serve cut in small slices.