Baked Carnival Fritters with Ricotta, Apples, and Chocolate: The Light Recipe
At Carnival, anything goes, but not all sweets have to be fried! If you’re looking for a light and fragrant alternative to the classic castagnole, these baked ricotta fritters are the perfect solution. Without butter and frying, they are a small treat to celebrate without guilt, ensuring incredible softness that won’t make you miss traditional sweets.
Why choose baking for Carnival?
The trend today is “Healthy Carnival”, meaning enjoying the festivities mindfully. These fritters are ideal because they are butter-free: the dough is made soft with fresh ricotta, which reduces saturated fats and increases digestibility. The lemon zest adds a unique lightness and freshness, making them perfect even for those who don’t like overly sweet desserts. The dark chocolate chips finally create an irresistible contrast with the delicacy of the ricotta.
How to best enjoy them
These fritters are versatile and suitable for any time of the day: both as an afternoon snack, served still warm and just out of the oven to enjoy the melting chocolate, and after a meal once cooled, dusted with powdered sugar for an elegant and festive touch. Not to mention, they are also ideal as sweet finger food at a Carnival party prepared in advance, as they maintain their softness for hours.
CURIOSITY: Did you know that the word “carnival” comes from the Latin carnem levare meaning “to eliminate meat“? In ancient times, the banquet held on the last day of carnival (Shrove Tuesday) was the prelude to a period of abstinence and fasting dictated by Lent during which no one was allowed to eat meat! Another curiosity concerns the Carnival holiday, during which it was permissible to let loose, liberating oneself from obligations and duties, to engage in jest and play. Moreover, wearing masks made the rich and the poor unrecognizable, thus erasing social differences. However, once the celebrations ended, discipline and order had to return to ruling. The proverb associated with this festival reminds us: “once a year it’s permissible to go mad”!
Other carnival recipes that may interest you:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 20 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 20 fritters
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, Carnival
Ingredients
⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog helps support me and my work, while it won’t cost you anything extra!
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup semolina flour
- 1/2 cup ricotta
- 1 Golden apple
- 3/4 cup erythritol (or 1/3 cup of brown sugar)
- 2 eggs (room temperature)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1 lemon juice (+ untreated zest)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- to taste powdered sugar
Tools
- 1 Knife
- 2 Mixing bowls
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Plastic wrap
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 Baking mat
Steps
Start by washing and peeling the apple. Cut it first into slices and then into small cubes.
Transfer them to a mixing bowl and drizzle with lemon juice, filtering it with the help of a sieve.
Separately, sift the two flours with the baking powder.
Add the erythritol and mix with a spatula.
Create a well in the center and incorporate the ricotta without its whey along with the cinnamon.
Then add the eggs with a pinch of salt.
Mix with the spatula and also add the lemon zest and vanilla extract.
Finally, add the chocolate chips and the apple cubes with all the lemon juice.
Mix quickly until you obtain a soft and moist dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for 20′ .
Once the dough has firmed up, with your hands always well moistened, take portions slightly larger than a walnut with a spoon and shape them very roughly.
Place the fritters on a baking tray lined with parchment paper without spacing them too much.
Bake in a preheated static oven at 350°F for 20′-25′ or until they are slightly golden. Then remove from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
Serve them, once cooled, with a generous dusting of powdered sugar.
And voilà… the baked Carnival fritters with apples and ricotta are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appetit from FeFè’s Kitchen!
Storage
👉 You can store the fritters, once cooled, at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Tips, Notes, Variations, and Suggestions
🟣 If you wish, you can replace the chocolate chips with raisins or pine nuts. They will still be delicious.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
1. Can they be frozen?
Absolutely! Once cooked and cooled, seal them in a freezer bag. To regenerate them, just pass them for a few minutes in the air fryer or warm oven: they will return to being fragrant and very soft.
2. Can they be fried?
Absolutely, this recipe is designed for baking to be lighter, but the ricotta-based dough is also perfect for frying, making the fritters even more puffy and delicious. Use a kitchen thermometer to keep the oil between 340°F and 350°F. If the oil is too cold, the fritters will absorb fat; if it is too hot, they will become dark on the outside while remaining raw inside.
Use peanut oil or high oleic sunflower oil, which have a high smoke point and are ideal for Carnival sweets. Finally, since it’s a soft dough, use two teaspoons to form balls (like quenelles) and drop them directly into the oil. Then roll them in granulated sugar as soon as you drain them from the oil: the heat will make it adhere perfectly, creating the classic Carnival sweet coating.3. Can they be cooked in the Air Fryer?
Yes, certainly! Spray the fritters with a little oil and cook at 350°F for 8′-10′. You’ll get a perfect middle ground between the lightness of baking and the taste of frying.
