Chocolate Ricotta Pie Kirsten Dixon Recipes

Steps:

• Beat the 12 eggs, 2 cups sugar and vanilla extract together in a large bowl. Stir in the ricotta cheese and the chocolate chips, if using (see Cook's Note). Set aside.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, and 1 cup sugar together. Cut in 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in 4 beaten eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Divide dough into 4 balls, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease two deep-dish pie plates.
• Roll out 2 of the balls to fit into the pie pans. Do not make the crust too thick, as it will expand during cooking. Do not flute the edges of the dough. Roll out the other 2 balls of dough and cut each into 8 narrow strips for the top of the crust. (Alternately, you can use cookie cutters and place the cutouts on the top of the pies.)
• Pour the ricotta filling evenly into the pie crusts. Top each pie with 8 narrow strips of dough or cookie cut-outs. Brush top of pie with milk for shine, if desired. Place foil on the edge of crust.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes; remove foil. Rotate pies on the rack so they will bake evenly. Continue to bake until a knife inserted in the center of each pie comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes more. Cool completely on wire racks. Refrigerate until serving.

Steps:

• In a microwave-safe bowl, heat semisweet chocolate chips in 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth.
• In a food processor, process 15 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese until smooth. Add chocolate; process until combined, scraping bowl as needed.
• Divide among four dishes. (Can be refrigerated, covered, up to 1 day; serve at room temperature.)

Steps:

• 1. PRE-HEAT oven to 375F.
• 2. MIX graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar together in a bowl. Shape inside 9" pie plate. If crust is too crumbly, add a small amount of butter so crumbs will hold together. Bake at 375 for 8-9 minutes, until lightly browned. Allow to cool.
• 3. COMBINE ricotta, confectioner's sugar, and almond extract in a bowl and set aside.
• 4. COMBINE almonds and chocolate. Chop together in a food processor; do not chop too fine.
• 5. FOLD together cheese mix and chopped almond & chocolate and chill.
• 6. WHIP heavy cream until stiff. Fold into ricotta and chocolate mix half at a time.
• 7. SPOON into chilled crust and let sit overnight before serving.
• 8. Serve with chocolate sauce, if desired.

Steps:

• Place the flour in a large bowl; cut in the butter until crumbly. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks and water; gradually add to flour mixture, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide dough in half so that one portion is slightly larger than the other. Wrap smaller portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate., Divide the remaining dough into six portions. Roll out each portion to fit a 5-in. pie plate; transfer pastry to pie plates. Set aside., Press raspberries through a sieve; discard seeds. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in raspberry puree. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Spread over the bottom of each crust. Sprinkle with chocolate chips., In a large bowl, beat the ricotta cheese, flour and vanilla until blended. In a small bowl, beat eggs on high speed for 3 minutes. Gradually add sugar, beating until mixture becomes thick and lemon-colored. Fold into ricotta mixture. Spread into pastry shells., Roll out remaining pastry; make lattice crusts. Trim, seal and flute edges. Whisk egg white; brush over lattice tops. Sprinkle with coarse sugar., Transfer pies to a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is set. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate until serving.

Steps:

• For the crust: In the bowl of a food processor combine the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, cornmeal, salt, and 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, and pulse to grind. Add the butter and pulse, just until the mixture forms a dough. Press the dough over the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of an 11-inch diameter tart pan with a removable bottom. Refrigerate until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line the tart dough with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the tart shell in the lower third of the oven until just set, about 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and pie weights. Bake the shell again until golden, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
• For the filling: Add the chocolate to a double boiler, over very softly simmering water and heat until melted.
• Combine the water with the sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and cool.
• Add the ricotta cheese and cream cheese in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add the egg and egg yolks, 1 at a time, and process until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and the sugar syrup and pulse until combined. Pour the custard into the tart shell and bake until the custard is just set, about 30 minutes. Scatter the remaining 1/4 cup of chopped hazelnuts on top of the filling. Let the tart cool completely before serving.
• The tart can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Return the tart to room temperature before serving.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, eggs, chocolate chips, sugar, orange zest and, if desired, orange liqueur., On a floured surface, roll out half the dough to fit a 9-in. pie plate; transfer to pie plate. Fill with ricotta mixture., Roll out remaining dough into an 11-in. circle; cut into 1-in.-wide strips. Lay half of the strips across the pie, about 1 in. apart. Fold back every other strip halfway. Lay another strip across center of pie at a right angle. Unfold strips over center strip. Fold back the alternate strips; place a second strip across the pie. Continue to add strips until pie is covered with lattice. Trim, seal and flute edges., Bake at 425° until crust is golden brown, 40-45 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers.

Steps:

• Blen flour, cornmeal 3/4 cup pine nuts, 1/4 cup sugar and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add the butter and pulse, just until the dough forms. Press dough over the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of an 11-inch diameter tart pan with a removable bottom. Refrigerate until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Lien the tart with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the tart shell in the lower third of the oven until just set, a bout 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and pie weights. Bake shell until golden, about 10 minutes longer. Cool completely.
• Combine the remianing 3/4 cup of sugar with 1/2 cup of water in small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Cool the sugar syrup slightly.
• In a double broiler, melt the chocolate over very softly simmering water.
• Pulse the Ricotta cheese and cream cheese in a food processor until smooth. Add the egg and egg yolks, one at a time, and process until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and process until combined. With the machine running, add the sugar syrup in a thin steady stream and process until smooth.
• Pour the custard into the tart shell and bake until the filling is almost set, about 30 minutes, or until it has set. Scatter the remaining 3/4 cup toasted pine nuts on top of the filling. Let the tart cool completely before serving.
• The tart can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Return the tart to room temperature before serving.

Steps:

• Blend the flour, cornmeal, 3/4 cup pine nuts, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add the butter and pulse, just until the dough forms. Press the dough over the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of an 11-inch-diameter tart pan with a removable bottom. Refrigerate until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line the tart dough with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the tart shell in the lower third of the oven until just set, about 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and pie weights. Bake the shell until golden, about 10 minutes longer. Cool completely.
• Combine the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar with 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Cool the sugar syrup slightly.
• In a double boiler, melt the chocolate over very softly simmering water.
• Pulse the ricotta cheese and cream cheese in a food processor until smooth. Add the egg and egg yolks, 1 at a time, and process until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and process until combined. With the machine running, add the sugar syrup in a thin steady stream and process until smooth.
• Pour the custard into the tart shell and bake until the filling is almost set, about 30 minutes or until the custard has set. Scatter the remaining 3/4 cup toasted pine nuts on top of the filling. Let the tart cool completely before serving.
• The tart can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Return the tart to room temperature before serving.

Steps:

• MIX graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar together in a bowl. Shape inside 9" pie plate. If crust is too crumbly, add a small amount of butter so crumbs will hold together. Bake at 375F for 8-9 minutes until lgihtly browned. Allow to cool.
• COMBINE ricotta, confectioner's sugar, and almond extract in a bowl and set aside.
• COMBINE almonds and chocolate. Chop together in a food processor; do not chop too fine.
• FOLD together cheese mix and chopped almond & chocolate and chill.
• WHIP heavy cream until stiff. Fold into ricotta and chocolate mix half at a time.
• SPOON into chilled crust and let sit overnight before serving.
• Serve with chocolate sauce, if desired.