Chocolate Ricotta Tart Recipes

ITALIAN RICOTTA CHOCOLATE TART RECIPE

Steps:

• Cut ½ cup of cold unsalted butter into 18 small pieces and place it in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
• In a food processor combine the dry ingredients and pulse a few times.
• Add the cut-up butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse ground meal.
• Add the slightly beaten eggs and the vanilla extract and pulse until the dough comes together.
• Turn out the dough on a lightly floured wooden board and form it into a smooth disc by pressing the dough together.
• Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimal 30 minutes before using it.
• Break (or chop) both the dark and semi-sweet chocolate into little pieces and place it in a heatproof bowl.
• Bring a pot of water to a simmer.
• Set bowl of chocolate over a pot of water. Ensure water does not touch the bottom of the bowl.
• When the chocolate is almost completely melted, remove it from heat and stir to finish melting.
• Set aside to cool completely.
• In a large mixing bowl (of a stand mixer) beat the ricotta and orange zest at low speed with the paddle attachment until smooth (about 2 minutes). Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Gradually add the sugar, whipping cream, rum and melted and cooled chocolate. Combine this whole mixture together. Set aside while we roll out the pastry dough.
• Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C.
• Prepare a 9-inch tart pan by buttering and flouring, or use non-stick spray and set aside.
• Cut off one-third of the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it. We will be using this dough to create the strips for the lattice top.
• Place two-thirds of the dough on a sheet of lightly floured parchment paper. Roll out the dough into a circle that is roughly 2 inches larger in diameter than the tart pan, about ⅜- ¼ inch (approx. ½ cm) thick.
• Transfer the dough to the pan, and gently press it into the sides and bottom. Trim the excess overhang of dough with a knife. Place it in the refrigerator.
• Lightly flour the same sheet of parchment paper. Use the rolling pin to roll out the reserved one-third dough in a 9-10 inch circle. Using a pastry cutter, cut into 10 (¾-inch) strips. Place in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.
• Remove the pasta frolla tart shell from the refrigerator and spoon in the chocolate ricotta filling.
• Spread the filling evenly over the base of the crust with the help of an offset spatula.
• To create a lattice top, remove the pastry strips from the refrigerator and brush each strip with egg wash. Brush the rim of the dough in the tart pan as well.
• Place five strips of dough first in one direction, then in the other. Remove any excess dough with a knife. Refer to the photo in the article for more details.
• Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until the center filling is set.
• Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Optional: Dust with icing sugar and/or serve with sweet ricotta.

CHOCOLATE RICOTTA PIE

Steps:

• For the crust: In the bowl of a food processor combine the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, cornmeal, salt, and 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, and pulse to grind. Add the butter and pulse, just until the mixture forms a dough. Press the dough over the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of an 11-inch diameter tart pan with a removable bottom. Refrigerate until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line the tart dough with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the tart shell in the lower third of the oven until just set, about 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and pie weights. Bake the shell again until golden, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
• For the filling: Add the chocolate to a double boiler, over very softly simmering water and heat until melted.
• Combine the water with the sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and cool.
• Add the ricotta cheese and cream cheese in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add the egg and egg yolks, 1 at a time, and process until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and the sugar syrup and pulse until combined. Pour the custard into the tart shell and bake until the custard is just set, about 30 minutes. Scatter the remaining 1/4 cup of chopped hazelnuts on top of the filling. Let the tart cool completely before serving.
• The tart can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Return the tart to room temperature before serving.

CHOCOLATE-RICOTTA PIE

Steps:

• Blend the flour, cornmeal, 3/4 cup pine nuts, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add the butter and pulse, just until the dough forms. Press the dough over the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of an 11-inch-diameter tart pan with a removable bottom. Refrigerate until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line the tart dough with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the tart shell in the lower third of the oven until just set, about 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and pie weights. Bake the shell until golden, about 10 minutes longer. Cool completely.
• Combine the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar with 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Cool the sugar syrup slightly.
• In a double boiler, melt the chocolate over very softly simmering water.
• Pulse the ricotta cheese and cream cheese in a food processor until smooth. Add the egg and egg yolks, 1 at a time, and process until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and process until combined. With the machine running, add the sugar syrup in a thin steady stream and process until smooth.
• Pour the custard into the tart shell and bake until the filling is almost set, about 30 minutes or until the custard has set. Scatter the remaining 3/4 cup toasted pine nuts on top of the filling. Let the tart cool completely before serving.
• The tart can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Return the tart to room temperature before serving.

ITALIAN CHOCOLATE AND RICOTTA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
• Whisk ricotta cheese and sugar together in a large bowl. Whisk in eggs one at a time until well combined.
• Combine flour and baking powder in a bowl; sift into ricotta mixture. Mix until batter is well combined and no dry spots remain. Add chopped chocolate, melted butter, and vanilla extract; stir until batter is smooth. Spoon batter into prepared cake pan (batter will be very thick).
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in the pan before serving.

ORANGE CHOCOLATE RICOTTA PIE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, eggs, chocolate chips, sugar, orange zest and, if desired, orange liqueur., On a floured surface, roll out half the dough to fit a 9-in. pie plate; transfer to pie plate. Fill with ricotta mixture., Roll out remaining dough into an 11-in. circle; cut into 1-in.-wide strips. Lay half of the strips across the pie, about 1 in. apart. Fold back every other strip halfway. Lay another strip across center of pie at a right angle. Unfold strips over center strip. Fold back the alternate strips; place a second strip across the pie. Continue to add strips until pie is covered with lattice. Trim, seal and flute edges., Bake at 425° until crust is golden brown, 40-45 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers.