The RICOTTA AND ALCHERMES TART is a dessert with an enchanting pink color — attractive and delicate — but I am sure you will remember it above all for its flavor, truly exceptional and addictive. It’s a classic dessert tart, perfect to finish a good lunch or a romantic dinner, but it can also be served for an afternoon snack, perhaps with a cup of tea.
This tart, although very simple to prepare — especially if you follow the photo-recipe step by step or, even better, the video — features extraordinary richness: a light, crumbly shortcrust pastry wraps a delicate cream with an intense aroma, as only Alchermes can give, made even more indulgent by dark chocolate chips.
I recommend preparing it a little in advance to allow the ingredients to meld beautifully and release all their aroma, to the delight of the nose and, above all, the palate.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6-8 servings
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 402.39 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 52.51 (g) of which sugars 29.19 (g)
- Proteins 8.90 (g)
- Fat 17.90 (g) of which saturated 5.31 (g)of which unsaturated 10.38 (g)
- Fibers 0.73 (g)
- Sodium 67.78 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1 egg (medium, at room temperature)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 cup cow's milk ricotta (well drained)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp Alchermes (liqueur)
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (or coarsely chopped dark chocolate)
- 1/4 cup dry cookies (crumbled)
YOU’LL NEED THE FOLLOWING FOR THE RICOTTA AND ALCHERMES TART
- 1 Tart pan 8 in
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Whisk or a fork
- Plastic wrap
PREPARATION: RICOTTA AND ALCHERMES TART
To prepare the RICOTTA AND ALCHERMES TART, start with the shortcrust pastry.
In a bowl place the egg, the sugar, the vanilla extract and mix everything together. Add the sunflower oil and incorporate it well.
Add the sifted flour in two additions along with the baking powder. Mix the dry ingredients with a spoon and then work the dough with your hands until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous ball.
Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
In a bowl, whip the ricotta (make sure it is well drained) with the sugar until creamy. Add the Alchermes liqueur and mix it in thoroughly. Finally fold in the chocolate chips or chocolate shavings.
Place in the fridge for a short while.
Meanwhile, roll out the shortcrust pastry to a thickness of about 4 mm (about 1/8 in). Oil or butter an 8 in tart pan (this step is essential — skipping it may cause the tart not to release from the pan).
Cover the base of the pastry with the crumbled cookies, pour in the cream, and finish by arranging the classic lattice strips of pastry on top.
Bake the ricotta and Alchermes tart in a preheated conventional oven at 356°F for 35 minutes. Once baked, leave it in the turned-off oven with the door ajar for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let it cool completely before unmolding.
STORAGE
Since this is a ricotta-based dessert, to avoid mold formation I recommend storing it well covered in the refrigerator and taking it out at least 30 minutes before serving.
