Every year my DH's Ialian family has large gathering before Christmas and everyone brings something for the dinner. The theme is always Italian and I'd like to bring cake with a little factor but since I'm not Ialian I don't have a clue what to do. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas share? TIA
SPAGHETTI CAKE!
Super easy, funny, fun and yummy!
So many ideas popped into my head... a cake shaped like the Italian 'boot' with the area of their orgin written on the 'map'... if they are from Tuscany, clusters of icing grapes on the cake... if from Naples, Vesuvius or Pompei... a cake decorated the way that marvelous hand-painted Italian pottery is painted. Good luck. It sounds like a fun project.
This might help:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-31501-cassatta.html
http://www.cookiesfromitaly.com/recipes/cassata.htm
http://www.cookiesfromitaly.com/recipes/cat/desserts.htm
Posted on 28 December 2003 at 17:04:00 by dmele. EN - Desserts - Cakes, Tarts & Sweet Breads
Source : Italianfoodforever
This is a great cheesecake for the holidays as it incorporates ingredients associated with eggnog such as eggs, nutmeg, and rum.
:Serves 12
by Deborah Mele
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In this cheesecake, I added a cranberry topping which made a very attractive presentation. By slow cooking this cheesecake in a water bath, you avoid any cracking and the cheesecake remains very light and creamy. To garnish my cheesecake as shown, I rolled fresh cranberries first in lightly beaten egg white, and then in extra fine sugar. I then placed them in the refrigerator to set. I decorated my cake plate with fresh greens, and added the sugared cranberries.
Crust
9 Graham Crackers (Use Cinnamon Graham If Desired)
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 1/2 Teaspoons Cinnamon (If Using Regular Graham Crackers)
1/4 1/3 Cup Unsalted Butter, Melted
1/2 Cup Finely chopped Pecans
Filling
1 1/2 Pounds Cream Cheese At Room Temperature
3/4 Cup Sugar
4 Tablespoons Rum
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
3 Large Eggs At Room Temperature
Baked Topping
1 1/2 Cups Sour Cream
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Fruit Topping
1 Bag Fresh Cranberries
1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
1 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Orange Zest, Chopped
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grind or process the graham crackers until fine, and place in a bowl with the sugar, cinnamon, and pecans. Add just enough butter until the mixture begins to clump together. Press the crumbs on the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. Bake the crust until it begins to brown and set, about 8 minutes. Let cool. Once cool, wrap the spring form pan with aluminum foil, and place in a larger baking pan. Pour enough water into the larger pan until the water comes half way up the sides of the spring form pan. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. F.
Beat the cream cheese with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the rum, nutmeg, and vanilla and mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating at slow speed just until blended. Over beating at this stage may cause cracking as the cheesecake cools. Pour the filling into the crust, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the cheesecake is set around the outer edges with only 3 inches or so of the center still a little soft and wobbly. Turn off the oven, and leave the oven door open. Cool the cheesecake slowly in this manner for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Turn the oven to 400 degrees F. Mix together the baked topping ingredients, and pour these over the cheesecake. Smooth lightly with a spoon. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the topping begins to set. Remove, and cool at room temperature for 45 minutes. Refrigerate for 4 hours.
To make the fruit topping, combine the fresh and dried cranberries, sugar, and orange zest in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking for about 25 minutes, or until the cranberries have softened and the sauce has thickened. Place the sauce in a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. Strain the sauce through a sieve so you have a clear topping. Cool to room temperature and then pour over the cheesecake. Continue to refrigerate for another 4 hours or overnight. Remove the spring form pan sides carefully, and cut the cheesecake into small slices to serve.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2003
http://www.mangiabenepasta.com/desserts25.html
HTH
I love theme cakes.......
For an italian "theme"
I would do a plain white cake(layers) filled with some flavored ricotta(well drained) mixed with some cream cheese
ice it with some good chocolate icing and get some cannoli shells , smash them up, and pack them in on the sides.
YUMMMMMM.....
i tis like a cannoli cake.
I usually flavor my ricotta with amaretto or cinnamon, and some powdered sugar, marscopone cheese instead of cream cheese works best BUT it is more expensive. it isnt an exact recipe, can you tell???
I made an Italian "theme" cake for my 96 yr old Mema (grandma). Here's the pic of it. And of course, you must use cannoli filling!!! 
A Zuccotto or authentic Tirimisu would be a wonderful addition to and Italian feast.
http://www.mangiabenepasta.com/zuccotto.html
I have had an idea for an Italian theme cake for many years and have never made it. I saw a painting at a fair grounds once that was a circle of canvas with a wine barrel gasket on the inner part of the circle and they had dipped their foot in purple paint and made foot prints around the outer part of the canvas. I think it would be really cute to use the little chocolate molds shaped like a foot, mold white chocolate colored purple and place the feet around in a circle on top of the cake, and because the wine barrel gasket might be difficult you could do either piped buttercream grape clusters or my preference gumpaste grapes.
Or here is a link to what could be a cute cake.
http://www.expressionscatalog.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=E70800&GEN1=&SKW=&PageNo=
Hello tiggy2
Cassata, tiramisu, torta dell nonna, sfoglia... so many come to mind & any one of them would be a great dessert for an Italian theme.
But if you want a visual that screams: ITALIA, then anything decorated in green white and red will do it.
If you want to keep it simple, then you can decorate a rectangular cake to look like the Italian flag.
During the World Cup, I made a cake shaped like a soccer ball; instead of standard soccer ball colors, I decorated with green, white & red buttercream icing.
If you really want 'il stivalo', check the attached. This was made for a cake show. The hardest part was the carving.
hope you like it
Forza Italia
ciao
My husband's family is Italian. we'll be spending Christmas with them and I've been thinking about making an "italian" cake too. So far, I've thought about the "map" of the Italy "boot", a bottle of Chianti or wine, a plate of spaghetti, a platter of fish (feast of teh 7 fishes on Christmas eve), the Italian flag, and the leaning tower of pisa (sp?).
have fun and be sure to post pictures when you finish!
Fascination, there was nothing attached. I love shirleyw's idea too. I'll have to see what DH thinks as he was leaning towards the map "boot", but I really like the wine barrell. I'm going to keep that photo for future use if I don'd do it this year.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
I would suggest a cassatta cake, decorated in Italian colors or theme. Then you would have a traditional Italian cake plus your Italian theme for the decoration.
Of course, different areas of Italy have vastly different traditions. Perhaps your husband's family is not familiar with cassatta cake or another cake you might choose. However, you could start a delicious new tradition for them!
Happy baking!
Fascination, there was nothing attached. I love shirleyw's idea too. I'll have to see what DH thinks as he was leaning towards the map "boot", but I really like the wine barrell. I'm going to keep that photo for future use if I don'd do it this year.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
Sorry Tiggy2,
I was sure that I had clicked on 'attach', but did not go back to check.
Here goes, let's try it again.
ciao
I like that wine barrel too. You could do the wood part of the cake in fondant that has been impressed with a woodgrain impression mat and then airbrushed or painted by hand with a cream colored petal dust thinned with Everclear.
Or you could do a wine press. This is one I did for a wine tasting party this past spring.
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&meta=allby&uname=ShirleyW&cat=0&pos=147
I happen to be stationed in Naples at the moment and there is a character that we see at any festival time and that is the pulcinella. There are many stories and even famous plays/dramas about him. He is always seen with a white hat and what looks to me like white pajamas and a black mask with a long nose. I'm trying to find a some clip art for you.
http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=1&q=pulcinella&spell=1
This should pop a Google search of images.
HTH,
Kat
I love ShirleyW's idea. It would look awesome!
I created a Tuscan Themed Wedding Cake and it would be nice if you added grapes to it. Take a look:
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&meta=allby&uname=CakesUnleashed&cat=0&pos=14
There are some incredible ideas out there. I can't wait to see the cake. Don't forget to post.
Deb
I love ShirleyW's idea. It would look awesome!
I created a Tuscan Themed Wedding Cake and it would be nice if you added grapes to it. Take a look:
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&meta=allby&uname=CakesUnleashed&cat=0&pos=14
There are some incredible ideas out there. I can't wait to see the cake. Don't forget to post.
Deb
What a gorgeous cake Deb, excellent work.
I love ShirleyW's idea. It would look awesome!
I created a Tuscan Themed Wedding Cake and it would be nice if you added grapes to it. Take a look:
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&meta=allby&uname=CakesUnleashed&cat=0&pos=14
There are some incredible ideas out there. I can't wait to see the cake. Don't forget to post.
Deb
What a gorgeous cake Deb, excellent work.
Thanks, Shirley! Your cakes are fabulous!
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