Satisfying Ricotta Snail

Ricotta Cheese is one of my favourite Italian products. This fresh ingredient has a quite versatile culinary use in savory, as well as in sweet dishes. The cheese makes a very comforting pizza topping, pasta filling, and brings any cake to a different level – Satisfying Ricotta Snail.

With this recipe I got inspired by my favourite Czech magazine F.O.O.D.. The taste of Ricotta reminds me my recent homeland Austria, where “Topfen” or quark makes one of the best fillings in cakes, strudels or creamy desserts. The combination of seasonal apples, apricot marmalade and juicy dough attracts the eye, as well as the tummy.

My Ricotta Snail is suitable for kids 2 plus, because of a possible egg white intolerance. It makes great afternoon snack or even breakfast. Buon Appetito!

Total Time: 45 minutes + 1.5 hour of rising the dough

The Dough

First, activate the yeast. Pour milk into a coffee mug and sprinkle with yeast. Add 1 teaspoon of caster sugar and mix. Sprinkle with some flour and let it rise in a warm place for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl place flour and 2 tablespoons of caster sugar.

Add 1 egg and melted butter. Stir in the yeast and start kneading a dough from outside to inside. Accordingly to consistency gradually add more milk.
In the finale, the dough should have a non sticking and elastic texture. It takes around 4 minutes.

Sprinkle with some flour and cover it with a clean cloth. Let it rise in a warm place for about 1.5 hour. Knead twice in between.

The Filling

In a medium metal bowl place the Ricotta Cheese, 1 egg yolk, 1 package of vanilla sugar. Whisk on high speed until you get a smooth texture and the sugar is dissolved, for about 3 minutes.

Gently stir in the raisins with a spatula. Mold and turn over. Set aside.

In a small bowl prepare the slices of apple. Sprinkle them with 1 package of vanilla sugar and some orange juice. Mix.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Presentation

Once the dough is nicely risen, start rolling it out into 0,5 cm thick rectangular shape.

Next, cut with a knife into 3 parts.

Layer each stripe with a generous amount of The Filling.

Then, roll them out and place into a light greased springform (I used 24 cm). Shape them gently closing side down into a snail. Connect the stripes on their endings.

Place slices of apple in between and let it rise in a warm place cover for 10 more minutes.

Dissolve the marmalade in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of lukewarm water.

Brush the whole surface on top (apples and the dough).

Decrease the temperature in the oven to 160 degrees. Bake for about 30 minutes until it is baked through and that the cake gets lightly golden on the top. Take it out and let it cool down entirely. Serve with a cup of tea.

Makes 10 serves.