Cranapple Ricotta Pudding Recipes

RICOTTA AND VANILLA BEAN PUDDINGS

Steps:

• For the puddings: Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter 10 nonstick muffin cups and line the bottom of each cup with a disk of parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a blender, combine the ricotta cheese, mascarpone cheese, eggs, heavy cream, maple syrup, sugar, and salt. Using a paring knife, split the vanilla bean in half and scrape the seeds into the blender. (Reserve the seeded vanilla pod for the sauce.) Blend the mixture until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until puffed and lightly browned. Remove the muffin cups from the oven to a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes (puddings will deflate during cooling). Refrigerate the puddings, in the muffin cups, for 2 hours. Using a thin, flexible spatula, carefully remove the puddings from the muffin cups and discard the parchment paper from the bottom of the puddings.
• For the sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine the reserved vanilla pod, cranberries, water, orange juice, orange zest and 1/2 cup sugar over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and gently simmer until the mixture has thickened and the liquid has reduced by half, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod and sweeten with extra sugar, to taste, if necessary.
• To serve: Arrange the puddings on small dessert plates and spoon the sauce over the top.

CHOCOLATE RICOTTA PUDDING

Steps:

• This is a serious childhood throwback for me. I have a memory of my mother taking this out of the oven and I could smell the chocolate and the almonds more than anything else. So delicious.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Use the butter to thoroughly grease the bottom and sides of a 1 quart loaf pan.
• Add the 2 whole eggs to a small pot and cover them with cold water. Bring the water to a gentle boil over medium heat. When the water boils, lower the heat to a simmer and cook the eggs for 6 minutes. Remove the eggs from the pot and run them under cold water to stop them from overcooking.
• In a medium bowl add the ricotta and whisk until free of lumps. Add the sugar, rum, chocolate and almonds and stir to blend. Set aside.
• Peel the hard-boiled eggs and put the yolks through a small strainer to break them into small bits. Add the egg yolks to the ricotta mixture.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the 2 egg whites and beat until stiff peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes. Gently fold the egg whites into the ricotta mixture with a rubber spatula, retaining as much fluffiness as possible. Transfer the mixture to the loaf pan. Put the pan into a shallow water bath and bake, undisturbed, for 50 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and the water bath. Allow to cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with a touch of lemon zest and some chocolate over each individual portion.

CHOCOLATE RICOTTA PUDDING WITH STRAWBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the sauce: Blend the strawberries and sugar in a food processor until smooth. Strain the puree through a fine mesh strainer. Cover and refrigerate. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• To make the pudding: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Lightly butter 6 (6-ounce) custard cups. Arrange the cups in a large roasting pan. Melt the chocolate in a medium bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Set the melted chocolate aside. Blend the ricotta, 1/4 cup of sugar, egg yolks, orange zest, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor until very smooth. Blend in the melted chocolate. Transfer the ricotta mixture to a large bowl.
• Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites in another large bowl with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar. Continue beating until semi-firm peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the ricotta mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cups. Fill the pan with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the custard cups. Bake until the pudding puffs slightly but the centers are still creamy, about 25 minutes (the pudding will become thick and creamy when cold). Allow puddings to cool slightly before removing from water bath. Remove the custard cups from the bath. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours.
• Run a knife around the sides of the puddings to loosen. Invert the puddings onto plates. Drizzle the strawberry sauce around the puddings and serve.

RICOTTA PUDDINGS WITH GLAZED RHUBARB

Steps:

• Make pudding batter:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly oil muffin cups.
• Blend together all pudding ingredients in a blender until smooth, then divide batter among muffin cups.
• Prepare rhubarb:
• Stir together sugar and cornstarch in a 9- to 10-inch glass or ceramic pie plate. Add rhubarb and toss to coat, then spread in one layer.
• Bake puddings and rhubarb:
• Bake puddings and rhubarb, side by side, carefully turning rhubarb over once halfway through cooking, until puddings are just set and edges are pale golden, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove puddings and rhubarb from oven at the same time. Set rhubarb aside and cool puddings in muffin pan on a rack 5 minutes (puddings will sink slightly).
• Run a thin knife around edge of each pudding, then invert a platter over pan and invert puddings onto platter. Transfer puddings, right side up, to plates and serve topped with rhubarb and its juices.

RICOTTA PUDDING

Steps:

• In a bowl, beat together the ricotta and sugar, then add liqueur. Taste and add more sugar or liqueur as desired. Divide among 6 glass ramekins or other small bowls and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve, dusted with a little powdered cocoa.

RICOTTA AND CANDIED FRUIT PUDDINGS

Steps:

• Sprinkle gelatin over milk in a small saucepan and let soften.
• Beat together whole egg, yolk, and sugar in a small metal bowl with a handheld electric mixer until blended. Set bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and beat with mixer until pale, thick, and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. (Mixture should mound when dropped from beaters.) Remove bowl from heat.
• Heat milk over low heat, stirring, just until gelatin is dissolved, then beat into egg mixture.
• Blend ricotta in a food processor just until smooth. Add fruit, chocolate, zests, vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt and pulse until blended, then transfer to a bowl. Stir in one third of egg mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining egg mixture gently but thoroughly.
• Beat cream in a bowl with cleaned beaters just until it holds soft peaks, then fold into ricotta mixture gently but thoroughly. Spoon into lightly oiled ramekins and chill, covered, until firm, at least 2 hours.
• Run a knife around edge of each ramekin, then dip ramekin into a bowl of hot tap water 10 seconds. Invert a plate over each ramekin, then invert pudding onto plate.

SWEET RICOTTA PUDDING WITH ROASTED GRAPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F with racks in middle and lower third.
• Butter a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate with some of butter, then spread bread crumbs in plate to coat.
• Blend ricotta, eggs, cinnamon, salt, and 3 tablespoons sugar in a blender until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour batter into pie plate and sprinkle with nuts. Bake in middle of oven until puffed, golden, and just set, about 25 minutes. Cool pudding on a rack.
• While pudding bakes, toss grapes with remaining butter, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and vinegar in a small shallow baking pan and let macerate.
• Increase oven temperature to 425°F.
• Roast grapes in lower third of oven, shaking pan occasionally, until tender but not falling apart, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool grapes until just warm and serve alongside pudding.

CRANAPPLE RICOTTA PUDDING

Steps:

• Grease a 2 quart casserole, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice apples, chop cranberries. Cut crust off bread and cut bread into about 1/2 inch strips.
• Mix the two eggs beaten with the ricotta cheese, add the vanilla. Take half the bread and place it first in the casserole, second layer will be half the apples and half of the cranberries, then pour about half of the egg/cheese mixture over and spread evenly.
• Repeat the layers: bread, fruit, egg & cheese mixture, and last top this with two tablespoons of real maple syrup.
• Bake uncovered for one hour. Cool slightly and serve!