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Prepared by: Yana Gornostaeva
10/21/2016 Cooking time: 3 hours 0 minutes
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Ricotta cake can be made in a short period of time without bothering with baking the cake layers. Try this amazing, delicate and slightly sour taste, you will definitely like it!
How to make Ricotta Cake
Grind the chocolate cookies into crumbs using a blender or roll out with a rolling pin. Melt the butter in a water bath or in the microwave. Combine cookie crumbs with butter.
Take an adjustable mold about eighteen centimeters in diameter. Place the crumbs in the mold and tamp them down well with your hands.
In a large bowl, combine ricotta and mascarpone. Add sugar and vanilla essence. Stir. There is no need for gelatin; the cheeses hold their shape perfectly.
Place the curd filling on top of the shortbread crust. Level the top well.
Place berry jam on top of the cream. It's better if it contains whole pieces of cherries. You can also use jelly. Place the cake in the refrigerator for a few hours to set.
good taste
A simple summer cake with berries, which was made not for the sake of the cake itself, but for the sake of the sponge cake. I discovered that I don’t have a basic biscuit recipe on my blog. In this case, it is genoise, that is, a sponge cake with heating and the addition of butter. Lately I've been using a recipe from Bruce Healy and Paul Boog's book The Art of the Cake. This version is wonderful and I love eating it plain.
Because of its strong American flour, the authors add additional yolks to the dough and replace some of the flour with starch. This is also a good move for us - the biscuit is soft and juicy, easy to cut.
Genoise is easy to make, much easier than a “regular” sponge cake without heating: less fuss, and the result is always stable. The main thing is to beat until the right moment.
Rectangular shape, internal dimensions 24 x 34 cm
- 7 large eggs
- 2 large yolks
- 225 g sugar
- 175 g plain flour
- 20 g potato starch
- 30 g melted butter
- ½ tsp. salt (this is my addition)
Melt the butter immediately - at the right time it should be cooled down, but still liquid.
Combine eggs, yolks and sugar in a large metal bowl (at least 4 quarts) and beat until smooth.
Place the bowl in a water bath with barely boiling water. Beat until the temperature of the mixture reaches 40 C. This stage is quite fast, watch the temperature so as not to get an omelette.
Remove the bowl from the bath and continue whisking until the mixture increases in volume and thickens. This takes quite a lot of time, so I even turn on the movie and watch it with one eye.
You can stop whipping when the mass becomes noticeably paler and thicker - when the whisk passes, pronounced grooves remain behind it, which do not disappear immediately. In addition, by this moment the mass should have completely cooled down .
Sift the flour with starch, then in parts (in 3-4 steps), sifting, add flour to the egg mass. For these purposes, the bowl should be wide rather than tall. Sift flour over the entire surface. Then “put” the flour into the mixture with a large flat spoon: dip the spoon into the mixture in the center, drag it along the bottom with some effort, the spoon should come out at the edge of the bowl. Scoop up some of the mixture from the edge and move it to the center. Make sure all the flour is properly distributed before sifting the next batch. That is why the layer of flour should be quite thin. By the way, it is convenient to perform this procedure with a very large whisk; in this case, I kind of wrap the mass around the whisk, constantly slowly rotating it while I walk from the center of the bowl along the bottom to the edge.
Now add the butter (cooled!): I usually “bend” the mass with a spoon at the edge of the bowl so that the bottom is visible, and pour all the butter there at once. Then I add it in the same way as flour, only not from the surface, but from the bottom.
Line the mold with paper; no need to grease it with oil. It is better to place the paper only on the bottom so that the biscuit has something to cling to when it grows in the oven.
Carefully pour the dough into the mold. There is no need to try to scrape out all the remains - this part of the dough can then settle, this is not the case when you need to be greedy :). Tap the bottom of the pan firmly two or three times to knock out any large bubbles.
Bake in the middle of the oven at first at 190 C, then you can reduce it to 170-160 C if the top browns ahead of time. It is better not to open the door at the beginning of baking. Bake until done, that is, until you test with a dry toothpick (I generally test with a thin knitting needle).
Let the finished biscuit stand for 5 minutes, then carefully turn it onto a wire rack, remove the paper and let cool completely. Ideally, you don’t need to touch it for several hours, that is, bake it in the evening and use it in the morning.
The rectangular shape is wide enough so it doesn't rise much. In a round shape it will be taller.
Well, the filling for this cake was like this.
Curd layer:
- 500 g ricotta
- 3-4 tbsp. l. full fat sour cream
- 50 g sugar
Fruit layer:
- 300 g strawberries
- 3 tbsp. l. potato starch
- 100 g sugar (or to taste, depending on the type of strawberry)
Syrup:
- 120 g water or apple juice
- 120 g sugar
- flavoring to taste, such as whiskey
Top:
- strawberries/raspberries, etc. for decoration (about 400 g)
- 1 bag for filling cakes (according to the instructions on the package)
Boil the syrup while preparing the biscuit and leave to cool.
Make the fruit layer in advance too: in fact, it’s just a regular, very thick jelly made from berries. Boil the berries a little with half the sugar, dilute the starch and the other half of the sugar with 2-3 tbsp. l. water and pour into the berries. Cook with continuous stirring until the jelly thickens and becomes more transparent. Cool completely, covering the surface with film.
Beat the ricotta with sour cream and sugar until relatively fluffy.
Assembly:
Cut the biscuit in half lengthwise, soak the porous side in syrup. Let it sit for a while, at which time you can, for example, beat the ricotta.
Spread half of the ricotta cream on the bottom of the sponge, then cover with the berry layer. Lay out the second part (this is the bottom part of the whole sponge cake, the smoothest), spread it again with ricotta and lay out fresh berries for decoration. Prepare cake filling according to instructions. I use the one with gums, that is, it hardens at a very high temperature (about 50 C), so I don’t pour anything on the berries, but spray it on top with a brush until everything is cemented.
Ricotta - what kind of cheese is it?
This cheese is made from the whey that remains after preparing other types of cheese. Also made from milk:
- cows;
- sheep;
- buffalos;
- goats.
This mass has a sweet taste thanks to the lactose it contains. It has a delicate and unusual taste.
What and how to eat ricotta with
Not everyone knows what ingredients are best to combine ricotta with, where and how to add it correctly. This is a very practical product that fits perfectly into many dishes from salads to cakes.
- To make the sauce tender and velvety, you need to add a couple of tablespoons of ricotta at the end of cooking.
- Thanks to the perfect combination of cheese and eggs, ricotta will add a unique flavor to omelet or scrambled eggs.
- It will add a pleasant taste to casseroles, both sweet and meaty.
- Adds a delicate consistency to lasagna.
- Good for making sandwiches. Easily spreads on bread. You can add greens, fish or avocado on top and a delicious quick snack is ready.
- You can quickly decorate a cake or cupcakes on your holiday table by preparing a light, airy ricotta cream.
- When preparing pie or cake dough, add a couple of tablespoons of cheese. This will make the delicacy more airy and fluffy.
- Delicious for filling pancakes and ravioli.
You can combine this miracle cheese with any food: fruits, herbs, pasta, vegetables, confectionery. It is not recommended to add to dishes that contain fish or meat.
It has no contraindications, except for rare diseases of lactose intolerance. It is not recommended to consume more than 250 grams per day.
Calorie content of cheese
This is a dietary product that contains large amounts of calcium and proteins. Due to its low calorie content of only 174 kcal per 100 grams, it is suitable for people who adhere to a healthy diet.
No-bake ricotta cheese desserts at home: step-by-step recipes
Ricotta is the basis of a variety of dishes, but in baking it reveals itself more subtly and gracefully. The simplest recipes for desserts with the addition of ricotta, when the dish does not need to be baked, and it is prepared simply and quickly. But the most important thing is that the result is delicious, and such a treat will be a worthy decoration for any holiday.
The right dessert
Today it is fashionable to be in good shape. When girls count calories and choose only healthy foods, a delicious and nutritious dessert from the PP series will come to the rescue. The recipe below is proof of this.
To prepare the dessert we will need:
- ricotta – 200 g;
- Hochland cream cheese – 140 g;
- vanillin - on the tip of a knife;
- canned peaches – 140 g;
- snowball – 50 g;
- cashews – 30 g;
- sweetener – 5 g.
Preparation:
- In a small container, mix two types of cheese, sweetener, vanillin, and snowball until smooth.
- Place the curd mass in a 1/3 layer in the bowls.
- Place the next layer of sliced peaches. You shouldn’t feel sorry for them, because they will add a wonderful taste. By the way, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have canned peaches, fresh strawberries will do, especially important in the summer season. The dessert is shown in the photo.
- And the third final layer is curd.
- Sprinkle the dessert with chopped cashew nuts, then put it in the refrigerator for half an hour.
- The dietary dessert is ready. You can enjoy a healthy and tasty treat!
Recipe for cakes with berries
For it you will need:
- Cheese in the amount of 200 g.
- Liquid honey (at least 2 tablespoons).
- 800 grams of berries, fresh or frozen.
- Two whipped whites.
- A small spoon of vanilla powder.
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How to make a dessert with ricotta according to a recipe with the addition of berries? The oven is heated to a temperature of 170 degrees. The cheese is placed on a plate and kneaded with a spoon. Add honey, proteins, vanilla powder. Grind the mass well.
Four muffin tins are coated with butter. Place the mixture in them and cook it in the oven for twenty minutes. Place the berries in a saucepan and add a small amount of water. Boil over low heat until they become soft. Cool and filter. Combine with honey. The resulting sauce is poured over the cakes.
Use in cooking
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Please remember that there are several types of product. Italian cheese is made from sheep whey. It has a sweetish taste with nutty notes and a dry consistency. The American recipe calls for the use of cow's milk. This product is more moist and soft. In addition, in shops, cafes and restaurants you can find smoked, salted and baked ricotta. It is often used to prepare traditional Italian dishes. What is ricotta cheese used for? First of all, it is included in pizza, salads, and pasta dishes (pasta, lasagna). In addition, like mascarpone, this product is used for making desserts.
It is often mixed with ground cinnamon, granulated sugar, and chocolate chips. Treats with ricotta have a soft, delicate taste and light texture.
Varieties of ricotta
A fermented milk product is produced either from the whey of one type of milk or from mixing them. In addition to the raw materials themselves, cheese may differ in age and thermal preparation. The following types of fermented milk products are distinguished:
- Ricotta salata is a young, soft, milky cheese that is added to salads and desserts (the most common type); with this variety, any baked goods will acquire a unique taste and aroma;
- Ricotta infornata is oven-baked ricotta that is brown in color;
- Ricotta affumicata is a baked cheese, the production of which requires a wood-burning oven and the use of oak, beech, chestnut, juniper wood with aromatic herbs;
- Ricotta scanta is a type of aged ricotta, which means it takes about 3 years to mature; During this period, the product turns brown and has a piquant taste.
What is ricotta used with?
Smoked and aged cheese is cut into pieces and used for food. Regular white young ricotta is used as a base for creams, cheesecakes, fillings and various desserts. This cheese is often used as a substitute for cream, adding it to sauces to give a creamy taste, white color and thicken the product.
Ricotta is also an excellent filling for ravioli, pizza, meat pies and lasagna.
The most optimal and ideal way to use it is to add ricotta to cheesecakes, cakes, casseroles and pie fillings. One of the most famous classic recipes with ricotta is the Easter Pastiera cake, which is traditionally baked in Italy. And this dish has a history of 2 thousand years. Having a neutral taste, ricotta perfectly absorbs the aromas and tastes of chocolate and vanilla, citrus fruits and cinnamon, pistachios or cane sugar. Ricotta also holds its shape perfectly, can be tinted, can be easily sweetened with syrups, and is also ideal for baking.
Dessert with honey and pears
The dish consists of the following products:
To prepare this dessert with ricotta cheese, you need to preheat the oven to a temperature of 200 degrees. The pears are divided into halves and the core is removed. Make small indentations in them. Place softened ricotta in the dimples. The baking dish is covered with a layer of parchment. Place the pears on the surface of the baking sheet. Drizzle them with honey and sprinkle with chopped cinnamon. Cook the dish in the oven for twenty minutes.