Luca Ciano's Pear & Ricotta Cake with Olive Oil & Saffron Gelato

This week’s key ingredient was Saffron - an aromatic spice knwon for its golden colour and flora aroma. Discover how to recreate Luca’s favourite recipe of the episode Pear & Ricotta Cake with Olive Oil & Saffron Gelato, using Smeg’s new and improved Stand Mixer

Catch the new season of Luca’s Key Ingredient live every Sunday at 9:30am on Channel 10 or 10Play on demand.

Serves: 6-8

Cooking time: 1 - 1h30

INGREDIENTS 

180g unsalted butter, room temperature  

180g icing sugar, sieved 

2 large firm pears, peeled and chopped into 1-2cm cubes 

1 tablespoon baking powder sieved  

pinch of salt 

3 free-range eggs 
180g self-raising plain flour, sieved 
1 lemon, zest  

180g buffalo ricotta 

50g caster sugar 

.5g saffron
2 tablespoons raw sugar 
30 g (1 oz) melted butter  

50g of honey, to garnish 

1–2 tablespoons icing sugar, to garnish 

Gelato (RECIPE FROM SEASON 1)

1 cup fresh milk

2 cups of pouring/single cream

6 egg yolks

⅔ cup caster sugar

⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil

1g saffron threads 

METHOD:

1.  For the gelato, heat the milk and cream until hot, but not boiling. Stir in the saffron and remove from the heat. 

2. Place egg yolks and sugar into a bowl and whisk until thick and pale in colour. Then add the hot cream mixture and whisk continuously. 

3. Pour the mixture back into your pot. Add olive oil. Stir over low heat for 4-5 minutes or until thick - to be very precise up to 82°C. Remove from heat and strain into a large bowl. Place it in the fridge to cool. Pour the cooled custard into an ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer's instructions till the ice cream is firm.

4. If you don’t have a gelato maker, place the custard into a deep tray in the freezer for 1 hour. Then, every 30 minutes, take it out and beat with an electric mixer. Repeat this until gelato is firm. (3-4 times).

5. To prepare the cake. Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, sugar and saffron. Set aside.

6. Place the butter and icing sugar into the bowl of your stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, slowly combine. Increase the speed slightly, and add the eggs one at a time. Scrape down the sides, add the flour and baking powder, and stir on a low speed to gently combine. While stirring, add the lemon zest. Remove from the mixer, add a pinch of salt and the pears. Use a spatula to fold through.

7. Place half of the batter into a lined cake tin. Dot a few spoonfuls of ricotta onto the mixture, spread slightly. Add the remaining cake mixture and top with the remaining ricotta mixture. Top with raw sugar.

8. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

9. Once baked, remove from the oven and brush with melted butter. Dust with icing sugar. Serve the cake with a scoop of ice cream, drizzle with honey to serve.