The amaretti tart, easy, creamy, and home-scented, is one of those recipes in my family that are born almost by chance. This time the credit goes to my cousin Barbara, who collaborates a lot with my blog and doesn’t miss an opportunity to try something new. Browsing the web, she saw this tart topped with amaretti and was immediately tempted: the next day she made it and told me that not only is it easy to make, but also surprisingly good.
The base is my classic shortcrust pastry without resting, while the filling combines the softness of ricotta with the creaminess of custard, to obtain a smooth, rich, and fragrant filling. To complete it all, a topping of amaretti that in cooking blends perfectly with the pastry, giving a unique and enveloping taste.
It’s a tart that smells of family, perfect for Sunday, a special snack, or when you want to bring to the table a dessert that combines tradition and delight.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 12
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven, Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- vanilla extract (or lemon zest)
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 3 tbsps cornstarch
- vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups ricotta
- 40 amaretti (approximately)
- as needed coffee (or other soaking syrup)
Tools
- 1 Baking Pan
Preparation
To start, take all the ingredients required for your shortcrust pastry without resting and put them in the mixer. Use the flat beater and let the dough work until it forms a soft and homogeneous dough. When the pastry is ready, transfer it to the lightly floured work surface and roll it out with a rolling pin to obtain an even sheet. Line a 10-inch baking pan with a sheet of parchment paper and lay the shortcrust pastry on top, arranging any folds and trimming the excess. Keep the leftover pastry aside, as it will be used later for the topping.
In a large bowl, combine 400 g of custard and 400 g of well-drained ricotta. Mix gently with a fork, mashing any lumps, until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous, and well-blended cream. This will be the soft filling that will make the tart creamy and fragrant.
Pour the ricotta and custard cream over the already arranged shortcrust pastry base in the pan. Level it well with the back of a spoon, so as to distribute it evenly over the entire surface. At this point, start to cover the cream with amaretti, dipping them in coffee before placing them on the tart.
Arrange the amaretti well by placing them next to each other, just lightly resting them on the cream until you completely cover the entire surface of the tart.
Take the leftover shortcrust pastry and place it on the lightly floured work surface. If you’re not very practiced, you can help yourself by placing the pastry between two sheets of parchment paper: in this way, it rolls out more easily and doesn’t break.
Use a rolling pin to roll out a disc of shortcrust pastry thinner than the base.
When you have obtained the sheet of the right size, gently lay it over the amaretti, covering the entire surface.
Seal the edges well, pressing lightly with your fingers to join the topping to the base.
Finally, it’s time to bake the tart: place it in the preheated oven at 350°F and let it bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the surface is golden brown. Once ready, let it cool slightly before removing it from the pan, so the pastry remains compact and the cream inside settles perfectly.
⭐ Final Notes
This ricotta, cream, and amaretti tart is a dessert that wins you over at the first taste: crunchy outside, soft inside, and with that homey scent that everyone always loves. Once baked, let it cool completely: this way, the filling stabilizes and the flavors harmonize perfectly.
The recipe calls for the amaretti to be soaked in coffee, but you can change the soak with an amaretto, rum, or alchermes syrup…
Once completely cooled, you can make it even more elegant with a light dusting of powdered sugar, which enhances the golden color of the pastry and completes the dessert with a delicate touch.
If you liked the recipe or have any questions, feel free to comment here or on social media Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and X
FAQ
Can I make the amaretti tart a day in advance?
Yes, it’s even better! Making it the day before allows the ricotta and custard filling to firm up and the amaretti to blend better with the pastry, giving a more harmonious taste.
Can I substitute amaretti with another ingredient?
If you don’t like amaretti, you can use dry biscuits or crumbled shortbreads, but the flavor will change. Amaretti are what give this tart the unique, fragrant taste that makes it special.
