FROM GIUSEPPE’S ITALIAN BAKES BY GIUSEPPE DELL-ANNO
“Torta Sette Vasetti is a modern Italian classic: the basic batter is made by measuring the ingredients by volume with a yogurt pot rather than by weight. I must admit that the engineering side of my brain struggled to accept the blanket ban on grams or centimetres in this recipe, but I cannot deny that the result is surprisingly good even without my usual pedantic control over measures and amounts…
It all starts with a single-serving yogurt pot: this recipe works equally well whether the pot is 125 milliliter (4 fluid ounces) or 150 milliliter (5 fluid ounces). Once the yogurt has been used, the pot then becomes the unit of measure for all other key ingredients.
The traditional version of this cake is a simple sponge, but I once tried adding apples to the mixture and have never looked back. Use a sweet variety like ripe Golden Delicious or Gala for best results. Despite being a relatively simple recipe, this cake can be easily elevated to a sophisticated afternoon treat by baking it in a Bundt pan.
Typically, the recipe calls for natural, unsweetened yogurt, but Greek-style or flavoured ones also work rather well. The latter may add a pleasant fruity note to the sponge, but you might want to reduce the amount of sugar in the batter to balance the overall sweetness.”
Ingredients
- 3 medium or 2 large apples
- 3 medium or 2 large apples
- 2 pots soft wheat 00 flour, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting the apples
- 1 pot natural yogurt
- 1 pot demerara sugar
- 1 pot corn flour (cornstarch)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 medium eggs, at room temperature
- 1 pot caster (superfine) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 pot sunflower or corn oil, plus extra for greasing
- Zest of 1 organic lemon and confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preparation
SERVES: up to 12, for a 9½-inch (87-fluid-ounce) Bundt pan
METHOD:
1. Set the oven rack so that the top of the pan sits just below the middle of the oven and preheat it to 340°F/170°C. Grease and thoroughly flour the Bundt pan.
2. Wash, peel and core the apples, then dice the flesh into pea-sized pieces. (Larger pieces are more likely to sink in the batter while baking.) Place the diced apples in a medium bowl and sprinkle them with 2 tablespoons of flour. Mix to coat them evenly and set aside. The flour coating will prevent the pieces of apple from sinking in the batter while baking and will slow their browning. In any case, a slight browning should be expected but it will not compromise their taste.
3. Place the yogurt in a small bowl, rinse and dry the pot and add one measure of demerara sugar to the bowl. When measuring powders with the yogurt pot, always tap it gently on the worktop to get rid of any potential air pockets. Whisk until most of the sugar has dissolved in the yogurt; the mixture should look creamy and lump-free. Set aside.
4. Place a large sieve over a bowl and sift in both flours, the cinnamon and baking powder. Set aside.
5. Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and the whites in another mediumsize metal bowl. Fill the yogurt pot with caster sugar and add half to the yolks, half to the whites. Add the vanilla to the yolks and start the mixer. Whisk the mixture on high speed for about 5–6 minutes, until pale and foamy.
6. Meanwhile, add the salt to the egg whites and whisk them with a handheld electric whisk for 2–3 minutes, until they form glossy, stiff peaks. Set aside.
7. When the yolks are light and frothy, measure 1 pot of oil and trickle it slowly along the sides of the bowl while whisking. Add the yogurt and sugar mixture too and let the mixer incorporate it. Remove the bowl from the mixer, add the sifted dry ingredients, then the lemon zest and fold to combine. Add the apples and fold them in. Gently fold the whipped whites into the yolk mixture in 3 batches using a silicone spatula, then pour the resulting batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50–52 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the deepest part of the pan comes out clean. The top of the cake should be caramel in color and the rim should slightly come off the sides of the pan. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan.
8. When cool enough to handle, turn the cake onto a serving plate and lightly dust with icing sugar. Store under a cake dome for up to 3–4 days or freeze for up to a month.
ALSO TRY
For a simpler version, omit the apples and for a different flavor combination swap them for 7 ounces (200 grams) fresh berries.
Excerpted with permission from Giuseppe's Italian Bakes by Giuseppe Dell'Anno, published by Quadrille Publishing, © December 2022.
About this recipe
CHEF’S TIPS
• Make sure to start with all ingredients at room temperature.
• It’s best to measure out all ingredients before starting any steps.
• Wipe the bowl and beaters with a paper towel and white vinegar and let dry to remove any fat or residue that could be on the surface, because fat can prevent the egg whites from whipping successfully.
