Make Ahead
Lemon Ricotta Pudding with Blueberries and Amaretti Cookies
- Prep time 15 minutes
- Cook time 1 hour
- Serves 8-10
Author Notes
This summery pudding combines fresh and roasted blueberries with creamy ricotta and lemon zest.
Initially I wanted to make a no bake cheesecake that combined crushed amaretti cookies with a stiffer ricotta condita (essentially cannoli filling). However as I was making the recipe, I realized I'd have to keep adding more and more confectioner's sugar to create more stability whilst the cheese was already the perfect balance of sweet, cream/fat and citrus.
The long and short of it was the cheese was too loose to make cake, but the outcome is total magic.
The topping was made by roasting a pint of blueberries with some sugar and cornstarch. I finished it on the stove with a few more spoonfuls of sugar just bringing to a boil so that the juices would thicken and turn the mixture slightly jammy.
I chill this down and gently toss the mixture with ice cold fresh blueberries and top off the pudding with that. I set it in the fridge overnight just to get it good and cold.
Totally perfect unpretentious summer dessert to end the perfect meal or BBQ! —Danielle Rehfeld Colen
Ingredients
- For the crust/crumble layer
-
7.5 ounces
Amaretti Cookies, crushed until fine in food processor or blender
-
4 ounces
unsalted butter, melted
- For the Ricotta Cream and Blueberries:
-
2 pints
Fresh Blueberries
-
4 tablespoons
Granulated Sugar
-
1 teaspoon
cornstarch
-
2, 15 ounces
Containers Full Fat Ricotta
-
2
Lemons, tested
-
2/3 cup
Confectioner's Sugar
-
1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
Directions
- For the crust/crumble layer
- Combine cookies and melted butter. Press into a 9" ceramic dish or spring form pan. Freeze at least 10 minutes.
- For the Ricotta Cream and Blueberries:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the ricotta in the bowl of food processor or in blender. Add the lemon zest and vanilla. Blend until smooth. Add half of the confectioner sugar. Blend until smooth and repeat with remaining confectioner's sugar. Transfer to refrigerator.
- Place 1 pint of the blueberries in a pie plate or other small baking dish. Toss with 2 tbsp. sugar and cornstarch. Bake about 1 hour until they are roasty and releasing some liquid. You may need to toss them ever so often.
- Transfer to a small pot and add the remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar. Turn the meat to medium high and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook about 1-2 min or until jammy and shiny.
- Cool over an ice bath, stirring frequently until cool. Toss the mixture gently with the remaining pint of blueberries.
- Transfer the Ricotta over the crust/crumble layer. Smooth with an offset spatula or back end of a spoon. Gently add the blueberries and chill at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve very cold, spooning servings onto pretty dessert plates or small individual bowls.
- Note: If you are gluten free, by all means switch out these cookies for a gluten free lemon, shortbread, gingersnap or whatever you like!
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