Ricotta cheese, a candid cloud of softness, is one of the most commonly used cheeses in cooking, especially when it comes to making dessert! Most of the time, in pastry shops, it is used as a filling for cannoli or pies, but today we have chosen to use it directly in the dough to prepare the ricotta and chocolate cake. The result will be a very dense mixture that will turn into a soft and consistent dessert, perfect for breakfast or snack. Get ready to prepare this cake, it will only take a few ingredients to make it but don’t forget to add the chocolate pieces to make it extremely delicious.
Ingredients for a 22 cm cake pan:
– Cow ricotta cheese 250g
– Dark chocolate 80g
– Medium eggs (3) 150g
– Sugar 180g
– Butter 80g
– Flour 00 250g
– Baking powder for cakes 16g
– Whole milk 40g
– Powdered sugar for dusting q.b.
Calories: 428 per serving
Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 20 min
Cooking time: 30 min
Servings: 8 people
Cost: Low
Preparation:
1. Make sure your ricotta cheese is not too rich in serum, otherwise, it would be best to let it drain for a while before starting. Then sift it and set it aside.
2. It is also advisable that ricotta, eggs, and milk are at room temperature before starting, so you won’t have trouble combining them together.
3. Then proceed to separate the eggs (you will need to use 90g of egg whites and 60g of yolks): put the egg whites and yolks in two separate bowls.
4. Beat the egg whites until stiff using a mixer.
5. Once you have obtained a firm compound, transfer it to the refrigerator if the environment in which you are working with the ingredients is rather warm; otherwise, leave it at room temperature. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan over low heat and let it cool.
6. Then add the sugar to the yolks and work them with the electric whisk until well blended.
7. Once the mixture is clear and frothy, lower the speed and add the melted butter cooled.
8. Continue to work with the whisk.
9. Once the butter has been absorbed, add the ricotta. Work the mixture at medium speed until you have obtained a smooth dough and the ricotta has been well incorporated with the rest of the ingredients.
10. Grease an aluminum round pan with a height of 5 cm and 22 cm in diameter and set aside.
11. Then transfer the mixture to a larger bowl and also add the egg whites.
12. Incorporate them into the mixture with gentle movements from bottom to top.
13. As soon as you have obtained a uniform and swollen mixture, sift flour and baking powder into it.
14. Gently mix with a spatula, using always circular movements from bottom to top.
15. Then add the milk at room temperature and mix it with a whisk; make sure it is completely absorbed.
16. Transfer the mixture into the pan and use a spatula to spread it over the entire pan and level the surface.
17. Coarsely chop the dark chocolate and sprinkle it over the cake.
18. Using the back of a spoon, lightly press the pieces of chocolate to make them penetrate into the dough.
19. Bake in a preheated static oven at 180°C for about 30 minutes.
20. Always do the toothpick test and as soon as it comes out clean, you can remove the cake from the oven.
21. Let it cool before removing it from the pan.
22. Transfer the ricotta and chocolate cake to a serving plate and sprinkle it with powdered sugar before serving.
23. The ricotta and chocolate cake can be stored at room temperature, under a glass dome, for 3-4 days.
Tips:
– The dough can be flavored with vanilla, cinnamon and orange or lemon zest to taste.
– Instead of chopped chocolate, you could add chocolate chips or Easter egg flakes.
– White sugar can be replaced entirely or in part with brown sugar, which will give a golden color and a caramelized taste.
– Want to replace chocolate with cocoa? Try our delicious ricotta and cocoa cake.
– Do you love the combination of chocolate with pears? Here is a refined variant: the ricotta, pears and chocolate cake!