Ricotta semifreddo with pistachio and chocolate, a creamy, fresh dessert full of contrasts: the delicate sweetness of ricotta, with an aromatic touch of limoncello, meets the intense flavor of dark chocolate and the warm note of pistachio. Easy to make and no-bake, it’s the ideal dessert to elegantly surprise your guests. Perfect as an after-dinner sweet, it can be prepared well in advance. For an alcohol-free version, completely replace the limoncello with milk. The semifreddo can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen and left to thaw in the fridge a few hours before serving. Below, let’s see how to prepare this delicious ricotta semifreddo with pistachio and chocolate at home:
More no-bake dessert recipes:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 4 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: No-cook
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups ricotta (well drained)
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 fl oz limoncello (alternatively, milk)
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
- 2/3 cup pistachio spread
- 8 oz ladyfingers (savoiardi)
- 1/3 cup chopped pistachios
- to taste pistachio spread
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1.7 fl oz limoncello
Steps
Prepare the soaking syrup. In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Once cold, add the limoncello (or another chosen liqueur), stir well and set aside until ready to use.
Meanwhile, sift the ricotta into a large bowl to remove any lumps, obtaining a smooth and velvety texture. Add the powdered sugar and the limoncello (or milk if you prefer a non-alcoholic version), then mix until well combined. Finally add the dark chocolate chips and gently fold them in with a spatula.
Line an 18 cm (7-inch) cake pan with plastic wrap, making sure to cover the inner sides as well.
Briefly dip the ladyfingers into the syrup (one at a time) and arrange them on the bottom and along the sides of the pan, forming the base of the dessert. Be careful not to soak them too much to avoid them falling apart.
Pour half of the ricotta cream over the layer of ladyfingers, smoothing it with a spatula. Add an even layer of pistachio spread. Continue with a second layer of ricotta cream and finish with another layer of soaked ladyfingers.
Cover the semifreddo with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, so the dessert can set perfectly.
After resting time, gently invert the semifreddo onto a serving plate and remove the plastic wrap. Decorate the surface with pistachio cream slightly melted over a bain-marie and finish with the chopped pistachios.
Bon appétit — see you next recipe!
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