Ricotta Filled Brownie Squares Recipes

BLUEBERRY RICOTTA SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch square baking dish.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup of sugar, and baking powder. Add the milk, shortening, 1 egg, and lemon extract, and use an electric mixer to mix on low speed for 1 minute, then on medium speed for 1 minute. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and spread evenly. Sprinkle blueberries over the batter.
• In a medium bowl, stir together 2 beaten eggs, ricotta cheese, 1/3 cup of sugar, and vanilla extract. Spoon this mixture over the blueberries, and spread evenly.
• Bake for 55 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting into squares and serving.

SWEET RICOTTA PASTRIES

Steps:

• Make filling:
• Bring milk and zest to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan, then remove from heat. Whisk together yolk, sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Whisk in milk, then transfer mixture to saucepan.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, and boil 1 minute. Stir in vanilla, then transfer to a clean bowl and chill custard, its surface covered with parchment paper (to prevent a skin from forming), until cold, at least 1 hour. Discard zest.
• Pulse ricotta in a food processor until smooth. Whisk into custard. Stir in orange-flower water and citron. Chill until ready to use.
• Prepare pastry while custard chills:
• Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in cleaned food processor until combined. Add butter and zest and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Add yolks and water and pulse until just incorporated and dough begins to form large clumps.
• Turn out dough onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together, using a pastry or bench scraper if you have one, and form into a ball.
• Generously butter muffin cups and top of pan. Press 2 tablespoon dough over bottom and up side of each muffin cup in an even layer with well-floured fingers. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, roll out remaining dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper into a 9-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) and transfer to a baking sheet, discarding top sheet of paper. Cut 12 (1/2-inch-wide) strips, then cut in half crosswise to make 24 strips total. Chill until ready to use.
• Assemble and Bake pastries:
• Spoon a scant 2 tablespoons filling into each muffin cup and smooth, then crisscross 2 strips on top of filling, trimming to fit. Brush pastry cross with egg wash. Bake until filling is puffed and starting to crack and edges are golden, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Invert a rack on top of pan, then flip pan and remove. Turn pastries right side up and cool completely.

RICOTTA-FILLED BROWNIE SQUARES

Steps:

• Melt butter and stir in cocoa.
• Set aside to cool slightly.
• Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
• Add combined dry ingredients and mix well.
• Add chocolate mixture and stir thoroughly.
• Pour half of the batter into a greased 8" square pan.
• Layer will be very thin but smooth to edges.
• Drop Ricotta Filling on top and smooth to edges.
• Drop remaining brownie batter by spoonfuls over Ricotta Filling to cover.
• Don't worry if ricotta is not entirely covered.
• Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick tests clean.
• Let cool and cut into 2" squares.
• Ricotta Filling: Combine all ingredients and beat until creamy.