I really love this type of tart, especially because I enjoy all desserts made with ricotta. However, I dislike it when the filling tastes too eggy or the ricotta dries out. That is why I add a milk-based custard to the ricotta; it keeps the filling creamy and prevents it from drying out.
Ricotta and Chocolate Tart
- Preparation time: 30 minutes + fridge + baking
- For a 24 cm pan
- Difficulty: Easy recipe
- Ingredients
- For the short crust pastry:
- 300 grams of all-purpose flour
- 100 grams of sugar
- 70 grams of vegetable oil
- 1 ½ eggs
- Grated lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla-flavored baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- For the filling:
- 400 grams of sheep’s milk ricotta
- 100 grams of dark chocolate
- For the milk cream:
- 200 grams of milk
- 20 grams of corn starch
- 100 grams of sugar
- Seeds from ½ vanilla bean
- A teaspoon of butter
- For the glaze:
- The remaining ½ egg mixed with 1 tbsp milk
- Granulated sugar, to taste
- Instructions
- Prepare the milk custard. In a small saucepan bring the milk and vanilla seeds to a boil. In a bowl, mix the sugar and starch, then slowly pour in the hot milk while stirring; transfer the mixture back into the saucepan. Place over heat and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk. Once the custard has thickened, remove from the heat and place a teaspoon of butter on the surface, letting it melt to coat the top completely. Allow to cool by placing the saucepan in a bowl filled with ice.
- Prepare the short crust pastry. In a bowl, briefly mix the oil, sugar, egg (plus the extra half-egg), and grated lemon zest, then add the flour (sifted with the baking powder). Mix just until the dough is no longer sticky. Form the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C.
- Drain the ricotta well in a sieve. I a bowl mix the ricotta with the sugar until creamy. Add the cooled milk custard and mix until combined. Finally, stir in the coarsely chopped chocolate.
- Roll out half the dough between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll out the other half between two more sheets of parchment paper.
- Place one pastry disc into a buttered and floured tart pan. Prick the base with a fork. Spread the ricotta cream over it and cover with the second layer of pastry. Prick the top layer with a fork as well to prevent it from cracking during baking.
- Beat the egg yolk with the milk and brush the mixture over the surface of the tart. Sprinkle with a little granulated sugar.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about fifty minutes, or until the top is nicely golden brown.
Tips to ensure the success of the dish:
- Placing a piece of butter on top of the custard avoid the forming of the skin. I prefer this method to placing plastic wrap directly on the surface, as it is more natural.
- To avoid an undercooked base, it is best to bake the tart for the first half of the time on the lowest oven rack and the second half on the middle rack.
- The short crust pastry should be worked as little as possible, but enough so that it no longer sticks to your hands.
- Baking times are approximate, as every oven cook differently. The pastry shouldn’t get too dark.
