Fresh Ricotta and Chocolate Crumb Cake for your Easter Table
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A delicious ricotta and chocolate cake to enjoy after a meal with a cup of coffee!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert / Breakfast
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • For the crust:
  • 2⅓ cups flour
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1½ tsp. baking powder
  • one large egg
  • 1 TBSP. milk
  • 1 TBSP. orange liqueur or brandy
  • 8 oz. cold butter (1 cup), thinly sliced
  • For the filling:
  • 15 oz. good quality fresh Ricotta cheese (do not use skim)
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • --- zest of one large orange
  • 1 cup bittersweet chocolate (about 70%), chopped
  • (best quality you can find)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter and flour a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the first three ingredients for the crust. Make a well in the middle of the mixture and add the egg, milk and the orange liqueur (or grappa, aquavit, or brandy). Fold in the dry ingredients. You can use a stand mixer, if you have one, and the dough will come together in seconds!
  3. Cut the cold butter into thin slices and add it to the crust mixture working it in gently, just until blended. (Putting the butter in the freezer for 20 minutes prior to use will make slicing easier).
  4. Divide the mixture into two portions. Take one portion and press it gently into the bottom of the springform pan.
  5. In a small bowl, mix the ricotta, the sugar and the orange zest with a fork (or use the bowl of your stand mixer). Add the chocolate pieces, mix again, and spread the mixture evenly on top of the crust.
  6. Take the other half of the crust and crumble it with your hands, letting the pieces fall over the filling. Press it down gently if you wish, but do not worry about covering the filling completely -- when the crust bakes, the butter will melt and the crust will become uniform.
  7. Place the springform pan on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake for 50-55 minutes, or, until golden on top. If you don’t have a springform pan, use a regular pan with tall sides and line it with parchment paper instead.
  8. Wait until the cake cools down and is almost at room temperature. Cut into small wedges and serve with some hot espresso or tea.
Notes
Fresh ricotta has more liquid and needs to be strained before using for dessert making. Line a strainer or a colander with a couple of layers of cheese cloth (or strong paper towels) and add your ricotta. Refrigerate the cheese for four hours or overnight to drain off the liquid.
Avoid using skim ricotta for desserts. If you can find Calabro ricotta in a tin, make sure to get it, as it is as close to homemade as you can get!
Recipe by Marilena's Kitchen at https://marilenaskitchen.com/fresh-ricotta-and-chocolate-crumble-tart/