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Ricotta and Berry Tart

17/11/2023

The ricotta and berry tart is an exquisite and refreshing dessert, perfect for the warmer seasons but just as excellent all year round. Here is the Italian recipe with a touch of simplicity and deliciousness.

Ingredients

  • 250 g of dry biscuits
  • 100 g of melted butter
  • 500 g of ricotta cheese
  • 120 g of icing sugar
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 sachet of vanillin or a teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 300 g of mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
  • 3 tablespoons of berry jam

Preparation

  1. Biscuit base: Blend the biscuits in a mixer until you obtain a fine powder. Mix the crushed biscuits with the melted butter until you have an even mixture. Spread this mixture onto a springform cake tin (recommended diameter 22-24 cm) previously lined with parchment paper, creating a compact base. Put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so that the base hardens.

  2. Ricotta cream: In a bowl, work the ricotta with the icing sugar until you have a smooth and homogeneous mixture. Add the lemon zest and vanillin or vanilla extract and mix well.

  3. Assembling the tart: Remove the biscuit base from the fridge and evenly distribute the ricotta cream on top. Level the surface with a spatula or spoon.

  4. Decoration: Arrange the berries on the surface of the tart. In a small saucepan, lightly heat the jam to make it more liquid and then use a kitchen brush to gently brush the berries. This step will not only make them glossy but will help them keep their color and stick to the tart.

  5. Finishing: Place the tart in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours before serving, so that the ricotta cream can firm up and the flavors can blend together optimally.

Curiosity

Ricotta is a much-loved ingredient in Italian pastry, being versatile it is suited to multiple preparations, from classic tarts to more modern cheesecakes. The version with berries is an expression of how Italian cuisine can enhance the fresh and slightly tart flavor of these fruits together with the sweetness of ricotta.

If you prefer an even more Italian touch, you could enrich the filling with a tablespoon of Amaretto or fruit liqueur, such as berry sambuca, to intensify the flavor. And for an alternative base, you could use crumbled amaretti biscuits instead of dry biscuits.

Ricotta and Berry Tart