Thursday, November 3, 2016

Made-from-Scratch Ricotta and Berry Tart

Brighten up your day with this amazing tart made with sun-kissed ripe berries, delicate and rich ricotta cheese, over a buttery and crumbly crust

I was walking past a bakery the other day, and there it was. A big fat slice of the most luscious-looking berry tart.  And it got my attention, with its sweet berries on top, the rich and velvety filling and the perfectly looking crust. It was clearly calling my name!

Most people would have probably rushed over and bought the slice. But not I. What if it wasn't as delicious as I imagined?!? A big dry and tasteless, disappointing piece of sugar-filled concoction.
Rather than taking that chance (I guess I'm not a big risk-taker, haha) I thought I should make my own ricotta berry tart. As scrumptious as I imagined. 
And BAM! Here it is.

Rich, creamy, and perfectly sweet. 
Somewhat like a cheesecake. But less cheesy and more cake-y. Rich, but not too heavy. 
Sweet, but not overly sweet. 
You know what I mean, right?! If not, you will have to try this recipe and tell me what you think. 





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INGREDIENTS:

YIELD: a 14 x 5 inches tart (35.5 x 12.5 cm)


    • for the crust:
      • 1 large egg 
      • 1/3 cup (65 gr) sugar 
      • 4 oz (115 gr) unsalted butter, softened* 
      • 1/4 teaspoon of salt 
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
      • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) milk 
      • 1 1/2 cups (225 gr) all-purpose flour 
      for the filling:
      • 12 oz (340 gr) ricotta cheese (I use whole milk) 
      • 3 large eggs 
      • 2/3 cup (130 gr) sugar 
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
      • 2 tablespoons (20 gr) corn starch 
      • 1 pinch of salt 
      • 1 1/4 cups (150 gr) of berries (frozen or fresh) 
      *Remove the butter from the refrigerator for about 20- 30 minutes

PREPARATION:

1. Grease a 14 x 5 inches (35.5 x 12.5 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom with butter and flour. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 375° F (190° C).
Starting with the crust: 
In a large bowl, beat the egg with the 1/3 cup of sugar. 
Add one stick of butter and mix well.

Add the salt, vanilla extract, two tablespoons of milk, and the flour. 
Mix until combined.
Note: you can also make this crust by adding all the ingredients to a food processor. 

Move the dough onto the prepared pan. Press it down into the bottom of the pan and up the sides... no need for a rolling pin!
You can use your spoon (a little hard to do) or your hands (easier!). You can sprinkle lightly with flour if the dough sticks to your fingers.

Make the bottom as even as you can, and work around the sides with your thumbs removing any extra dough from the edges and adding dough if necessary. This dough is super easy to work with.

Prick the bottom with a fork. Set aside.


2. Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients (ricotta, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, corn starch and salt) in a bowl.

And blend well.
Pour the filling on the tart crust.
Sprinkle the top with the berries.

3. Bake at 375° F (190° C) for 50-55 minutes or until the edges are golden and the middle is set.
Wait for the tart to cool to room temperature, before removing from the pan.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar if you'd like and serve.
Store in the refrigerator. Enjoy :)

PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD: Ricotta and Berry Tart





  

17 comments:

  1. I understand...I do the same ....see it, not buy it, but go home a bake it! Just found your blog and like the look of your recipes. I was searching for Torta della nonna recipes and yours came up. I can feel a Torta coming on!

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  2. Hi Manuela,

    Thanks for sharing a wonderful recipe. I baked it yesterday. It was very very good. 5 people shared it, and we all said that it is very tasty, and not too sweet.

    I baked it in 375 f for 42 minutes, and it started burning. My oven (Bosch) may be hotter. So I took it out. 5 stars for taste and simplicity! Thank you.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much! I'm happy you liked it. And thank goodness you kept an eye on it and didn't burn. Baking times can be tricky... I have two ovens (side by side, different sizes), and they don't even bake the same way. The larger always takes longer!

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    2. I baked mine 375 for 50
      minutes & it burnt 😭. I guess next time I’ll bake it for 40 minutes.

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  3. A lovely recipe! I tried it with fresh blackberries and it was delicious!
    Thank you for the recipe! It's pretty easy to make and with your instructions and photo's it just couldn't go wrong.
    Our party was wonderful with your help!

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    Replies
    1. I'm so happy to hear that! Thank you so much Stefanie :)

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  4. I made it again.... and AGAIN it was lovely.

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  5. Love this tart. It is a hit every time I make it. Not to sweet, perfect for me.

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  6. Does the filling not soak into the crust, would it not be better if it was blind baked for a bit first?

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  7. Great recipe! Thank you very much for sharing! I suggest to add the zest of one lemon to the filling! ;) Kisses from Italy, Irene

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  8. Can I use round cake pan.? Thank you.

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  9. I don't have a tart pan that big. Could I use a springform pan or a glass baking dish?

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    Replies
    1. Don't see why not. I'm planning to use a round cake pan with parchment paper to help me pull it out once done. Hope this helps!

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  10. OMG, This was delicious, beautiful and easy. Thank you for this recipe. Now I have a new “go-to” dessert.

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  11. Can this be made a day ahead?? Thanks!!

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