Method

• 1.
  Preheat the oven to 170°C and grease and flour a 23cm cake pan.
• 2.
  Whisk the eggwhites to soft peaks with a pinch of salt. Slowly pour in 100g sugar and whisk to stiff peaks. Whisk the yolks with remaining sugar in a separate bowl until pale and creamy. Then use a spatula to fold the two together.
• 3.
  Sift the two flours, add lemon zest and fold into the egg mixture. Pour into the prepared pan and cook for 30-35 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. When cooked, remove from the pan and allow to cool on a rack.
• 4.
  Meanwhile, make the filling by draining the ricotta and mixing all ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

• 5.
  Carefully cut a 1cm-thick layer from the top of the cake and set aside. Next cut a 2cm-thick layer, leaving you with a layer that is 1cm thick. Return one of the 1cm layers, cut-side up, to the cake pan.
• 6.
  Next, cut a circle out of the middle of the thicker 2cm-layer so that you are left with a ring of cake that is 2cm-wide border – this will make the border around the hole for the filling. Return border back to the pan. Eat the centre as a cook’s treat!
• 7.
  Combine Marsala and 25ml water in a bowl and brush two-thirds over the surface of the sponge.
• 8.
  Fill hole with the ricotta filling mixture and smooth over with a palette knife. Melt the chocolate brie y in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water (don’t let bowl touch water).
• 9.
  Using a palette knife, spread the melted chocolate over the final layer of sponge cake sponge. Invert and press down lightly over the filling. Brush over the remaining syrup.
• 10.
  Leave the cake to rest in the fridge for at least 6 hours or up to a day. Turn out of the mould.
• 11.
  To make the coating, whip the cream to form soft peaks, then fold in the ricotta and honey. Using a palette knife, spread the coating evenly over the outside of the cake.
• 12.
  Finish the coating with a sprinkling of nuts, grated chocolate and icing sugar. Chill in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour or up to 1 day before serving.