Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Pudding Base
- 400 g whole milk ricotta cheese, drained if excessively wet
- 60 g confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 45 ml coffee liqueur
Lightening Agent
- 120 ml heavy cream, cold
Garnish
- 15 g dark chocolate, block for shaving
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 368 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 31 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 22 g
- Sodium
- 120 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 14 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 83 mg
- Potassium
- 264 mg
- Calcium
- 230 mg
- Iron
- 0.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 26 mg
- Phosphorus
- 177 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 243 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.7 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.37 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 5 mcg
- Water
- 95 g
- Alcohol
- 2 g
- Caffeine
- 34 mg
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the ricotta cheese, confectioners' sugar, and coffee liqueur in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is completely smooth and silky, stopping to scrape down the sides with a spatula as needed.
In a separate clean mixing bowl, whip the cold heavy cream until soft peaks form. Do not over-whip.
Add the whipped cream to the ricotta mixture. Using a spatula, gently fold the cream into the ricotta until fully combined and no white streaks remain.
Divide the pudding evenly among four serving glasses or ramekins. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the pudding to set slightly.
Just before serving, use a microplane or grater to shave the dark chocolate generously over the top of each pudding.
Chef's Notes
- Always use whole milk ricotta for the best texture and flavor; part-skim varieties contain too much water and will yield a thin, less rich pudding.
- If you do not own a food processor, you can achieve a similar smoothness by pressing the ricotta through a fine-mesh sieve with the back of a spoon or using a powerful immersion blender.
- To create an alcohol-free version, replace the coffee liqueur with 30ml of strongly brewed, chilled espresso and an additional 15ml of heavy cream.
- For the fluffiest whipped cream, ensure both your mixing bowl and the cream are thoroughly chilled before you begin whipping.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store in airtight containers; it may weep slightly over time.
Troubleshooting
Pudding has a grainy or gritty texture
Cause: The ricotta was not processed long enough to break down the curds
Fix: Cannot be fixed once the whipped cream is folded in, but remains entirely safe and delicious to eat
Prevention: Blend the ricotta mixture for a full 2 to 3 minutes before folding in the heavy cream
Pudding is too runny
Cause: The heavy cream was under-whipped, or the folding technique was too aggressive, deflating the air
Fix: Chill in the refrigerator for an extra hour to help the fats solidify and firm up the dessert
Prevention: Ensure the cream reaches defined soft peaks and use a gentle scooping motion to fold
Cultural Context
Ricotta is a foundational ingredient in Italian sweets, heavily utilized as a rich filling for pastries like cannoli or layered elegantly in traditional cassata. Whipping it into a standalone pudding highlights its natural versatility and delicate dairy sweetness, serving as a modern, minimalist nod to rustic Italian culinary resourcefulness.
