Lizzie Christensen's Chocolate Ricotta Pudding with Strawberry Sauce

Chocolate Ricotta Pudding with Strawberry Sauce

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Prep Time: 30 min

Inactive Prep Time: 3 hr 0 min

Cook Time: 30 min

Level: Intermediate

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

Sauce:

2 cups fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons sugar

Pudding:

Butter, for greasing cups
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
1 1/2 pounds fresh whole milk ricotta cheese, drained for 2 hours to remove any excess liquid
1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions

To make the sauce: Blend the strawberries and sugar in a food processor until smooth. Strain the puree through a fine mesh strainer. Cover and refrigerate. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

To make the pudding: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Lightly butter 6 (6-ounce) custard cups. Arrange the cups in a large roasting pan. Melt the chocolate in a medium bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Set the melted chocolate aside. Blend the ricotta, 1/4 cup of sugar, egg yolks, orange zest, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor until very smooth. Blend in the melted chocolate. Transfer the ricotta mixture to a large bowl.

Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites in another large bowl with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar. Continue beating until semi-firm peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the ricotta mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cups. Fill the pan with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the custard cups. Bake until the pudding puffs slightly but the centers are still creamy, about 25 minutes (the pudding will become thick and creamy when cold). Allow puddings to cool slightly before removing from water bath. Remove the custard cups from the bath. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours.

Run a knife around the sides of the puddings to loosen. Invert the puddings onto plates. Drizzle the strawberry sauce around the puddings and serve.

Candycane Kiss Cookies

1/2 c. butter-flavored shortening
1/2 c. real butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
optional: 1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. flour, lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled with a knife
1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 c. dark chocolate chips
48 Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream together softened butter, shortening, brown sugar, and white sugar for 1-2 minutes on medium-high speed or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla. Meanwhile, combine the baking powder, baking soda, salt, flour, and cocoa powder. Add to the butter/sugar mixture and mix until combined. Mix in the chocolate chips.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the centers are set but still soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes. Top each cookie with an unwrapped Candy Cane Kiss. Allow to cool completely, long enough for the Kiss to harden. If necessary, after the cookies have cooled, they can be placed in the refrigerator or freezer to re-solidify the Kiss.

Lizzie Christensen
Source: ourbestbites.com

Pizzelles

1 stick of butter (NOT MARGARINE), melted
4 eggs
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup sugar
¾ cup flour

Mix all of the ingredients together.
Cook until crisp and brown in a pizzelle iron.
Cool completely then store in an airtight container.
Serve with confectioner’s sugar sprinkled on them.

You can substitute lemon or anise extract instead of vanilla extract.

- Judy

Pumpkin Cookies

Cookies

¾ cups shortening

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1½ cups pumpkin (one 15oz can)

1½ tsp vanilla

1½ tsp salt

1½ tsp baking powder

1½ tsp soda

1½ tsp cinnamon

1½ tsp nutmeg

4 cups flour

6 oz chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Throw it all in, mix it all up. Dough will be gooey. Spoon in heaping tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet (lined with parchment paper works best). Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes or until you can see the cookies lightly starting to brown. Cool.

Frosting

4oz cream cheese (room temperature)

1 cube butter (room temperature)

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Mix together until smooth. Frost cookies while frosting is room temperature. Enjoy!

-Melanie Anderson

Cracker Barrel Cherry-Chocolate Cobbler

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, cut into small pieces
6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup milk
1 egg
One 21 oz. can cherry pie filling
½ cup finely chopped nuts

1 . Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2 . In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter; cut with a pastry blender until well mixed.
3 . Melt the semisweet chocolate chips.
4 . Remove from heat and let cool slightly at room temperature (about 5 minutes).
5 . Add the milk and egg to the melted chocolate and mix well.
6 . Blend the chocolate into the flour mixture.
7 . Spread the cherry pie filling in the bottom of a 2-quart casserole or 8x8 pan. Drop thechocolate batter randomly over the cherries or spread over the whole top. Sprinkle with the nuts.
8 . Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden. Serve hot.

-Stephanie, America’ s Most Wanted Recipes

Tres Leches Cake

1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 C whipping cream
1 yellow cake mix
sliced fruit (strawberries, peaches, raspberries, etc.)

Bake cake according to box. Let cool. Stir together the three milks. Poke many holes in the cooled cake. Poor the milk mixture over the cake and let it soak in. Keep refrigerated! Serve like this or add sliced fruit on top.

- Jana Neal

Toll House Pie

1 9" unbaked pie shell (deep)
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup melted butter - cool to room temperature!!!
1 cup (6oz) chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Mix together and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Let cool 1 hour or more.

-Becca Bates

Sour Cream Apple Pie

Topping

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 c. plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 t. cinnamon
2 tablespoons flour

Filling

1 1/3 c. sour cream
2/3 c. sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 or 5 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

To make the topping, in a bowl blend the butter, sugar, cinnamon, and flour until the mixture is combined well. Cover and chill the topping.

To make the filling, whisk together the sour cream, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs, and flour until the mixture is smooth. Add the peeled, cored, and thinly sliced apples and stir the filling and apples together.

Spoon the filling into the chilled shell and crumble the topping evenly over it. Bake the pie on a baking sheet in the middle of a pre-heated 350-degree oven, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. (You might need to put a bit of tinfoil on top of the pie during the last 15 minutes to prevent the top from burning.) Transfer it to a rack and let it cool completely.

-Meghan Loveless,

Caramel Apple Pie

1 Pastry crust for a deep dish 9" pie

1/2 C Sugar
1 Tbsp Flour
1 1/2 tsp Apple Pie Spice OR Cinnamon (or allspice works great, too)
1/8 tsp salt
6-8 Cups Apples, sliced thinly

Crumb Topping:
1 C Brown Sugar
1/2 C rolled oats
1/2 C Flour
1/2 C Butter

Directions:
Stir together brown sugar, flour & oats. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until topping resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix together sugar, flour, spice & salt. Add apples & toss to coat. Put into pie shell. Add all of the crumb mixture on top of the apples (until all the apples are covered with the mixture). You will need to press it onto the apples to make it stay. You can cover the edges of the pie with aluminum foil for the first 25 minutes to prevent burning, but I usually avoid this step and the pie turns out fine. Bake at 375 for 50-55 minutes. Allow the pie to cool for 10-15 minutes & drizzle the top with your favorite caramel. Enjoy!

-Meghan Loveless

Thanksgiving Dinner Pumpkin Pie with Crust

Pie
(2 deep dish pies {4 cups} or 3-4 regular pies {2 cups}) These may also be made the day before and refrigerated
11/2 cups sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt
2 (12 oz.) cans evaporated milk (3 cups)
4 eggs
3 cups canned pumpkin (You can cut up fresh pumpkin and boil or bake it if you can't find canned pumpkin.)
2 Pie crusts
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small/medium bowl stir together the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves, and salt. In a large bowl beat eggs, stir in pumpkin and sugar and spice mixture. Gradually add evaporated milk. Pour into pie shells. Bake in 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees, bake for 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.
Shorten baking time at 350 degrees for shallow pies to 20-30 minutes.
Serve with whipped cream.

2 Pie Crusts
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 cups shortening
7-8 Tbs. cold water
Mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening (use two forks or a pastry cutter.) Stir in water 1 Tbs. at a time, tossing mixture after each addition until you can form it into a ball.
On a lightly floured surface, flatten and roll into circles with a rolling pin. Place in pie pan and cut edge about ½ in from edge of pan, turn edge over and pinch to make a finished edge.

-Kat Dahl

Cream Cheese Pie

1 block (6 oz.) cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
1 graham cracker crust

Beat/whip cream cheese until fluffy. Add milk slowly until blended. Mix in lemon juice and vanilla- will be runny, but it will set. Pour into graham cracker crust and chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours. This should be served cold (not frozen) with fruit pie fillings- cherry, blueberry, etc. This is a lot like a cheese cake, except a much lighter flavor, not as rich as cheese cake.

- Kat Dahl

Yogurt Pie

1 container of whipped topping (light for less fat, still tastes just as good)
1-2 containers of flavored yogurt (You can use only 1, but it's a stronger flavor with 2. I use low fat or non-fat yogurt for a less fattening treat.)
1 graham cracker crust
1 cup of chopped fruit (optional- I've never done it, but it would be good)

In a large mixing bowl whip the yogurt and whipped topping together until well-blended. Mix in the fruit if desired. Pour into graham cracker crust. Freeze for at least 2 hours. Served frozen this makes a great summer-time dish.

- Kat Dahl

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbs milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 pkg chocolate chips (I always use milk chips for this recipe, but you can use either)
1 cup nuts, chopped (optional)

Combine brown sugar, butter, sugar. Beat until fluffy and light. Beat in eggs, milk, and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, salt. Stir in oats, chocolate chips, and nuts. Spoon onto baking sheet 2 inches apart and bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes. (Note, don't over bake! When you take them out, the edges will be starting to brown, but the top should still look a little mushy. Just trust me.)

-Meghan Loveless

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Cake:

2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
3 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 pound carrots, grated
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting:
3/4 pound cream cheese at room temperature (1 1/2 packages)
1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature (2 sticks)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sieved (3 3/4 cups)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin pans with paper liners. Beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light yellow. Add the vanilla. In another bowl, sift together 2 cups flour, the cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Toss the carrots, raisins, and walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour. Add to the batter and mix well(I use my hands—it works best!).Scoop the batter into the muffin cups until each is almost full. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack. Makes 22 cupcakes.

- Meghan Loveless (Barefoot Contessa)

Lemon Yogurt Cake

1 ½ c flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 c plain whole-milk yogurt
1 1/3 c sugar, divided
3 eggs
2 tsp grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
½ tsp vanilla
½ c oil
1/3 c freshly squeezed lemon juice

Glaze:
1 c confectioners' sugar
2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 8 1/2 x 4 1/4 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan.
Mix dry ingredients (flour, powder and salt) in one bowl. In another bowl, whisk yogurt, 1 c sugar, the eggs, lemon zest and vanilla. Slowly whish dry ingredients into the wet ones. With a rubber spatula, fold in oil, making sure it's all incorporated. Pour batter into pan and bake for 50 mins, or until cake tester comes out clean.
Meanwhile, cook 1/3 c lemon juice and 1/3 c sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.
When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 mins. Carefully place cake on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.
For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and pour over cake.

-Meghan Loveless

Lazy Day Cobbler

1/4 c butter
1 c flour
3/4 c milk
1 c sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 large can sliced peaches
1/2 c sugar mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in 9x13 backing pan. Mix flour, milk, sugar, baking powder, and egg. Pour mixture over melted butter. Pour peaches with syrup over mixture. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

- Laura Sprague