Cassata Siciliana

Cassata in its original form is a cake, not an ice-cream, and is based on pan di Spagna, a sponge characterized by a high proportion of eggs to flour and a cooking technique which seems odd when compared to, say, making a Victoria sponge. But then, to most of the world making a Victoria sponge is even odder, so quid pro quo. Non-stick spring-form cake tins work best for the job but, if you don’t have one, grease your sticking tin lightly with butter.

Sicily has a tradition of cake d