Equipment
Ingredients
Apple Juice Jelly
- 250 ml apple juice
- 15 g caster sugar
- 2 sheet gelatin
Roasted Strawberries
- 400 g fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- 50 g caster sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
- 10 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Light Ricotta Cream
- 250 g smooth ricotta, drained if watery
- 50 ml heavy cream, chilled
- 20 g icing sugar, sifted
- 5 g vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 288 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 41 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 33 g
- Sodium
- 78 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 45 mg
- Potassium
- 370 mg
- Calcium
- 159 mg
- Iron
- 0.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 30 mg
- Phosphorus
- 133 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 127 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 84 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.25 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 28 mcg
- Water
- 203 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Submerge the gelatin sheets in a bowl of ice-cold water. Leave them to soften completely.
In a small saucepan, combine the apple juice and 15g of caster sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then remove from heat.
Squeeze the excess water from the softened gelatin sheets. Whisk the gelatin into the warm apple juice mixture until completely dissolved.
Divide the apple jelly mixture evenly into the base of 4 serving glasses. Transfer to the refrigerator to set.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
In a mixing bowl, toss the halved strawberries with 50g of caster sugar, lemon juice, and the scraped seeds of the vanilla bean.
Spread the strawberries evenly on a baking tray. Roast in the preheated oven at 200°C/400°F until the berries are soft and the juices have reduced into a thick, bubbling caramel.
While the strawberries cool slightly, combine the smooth ricotta, heavy cream, icing sugar, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Whip until light, airy, and well incorporated.
Spoon the light ricotta cream over the chilled, set apple jelly. Top with the warm roasted strawberries and generously drizzle the roasting caramel over the dessert. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- For the clearest jelly, do not boil the apple juice vigorously; just bring it to a gentle simmer. Quality clear pressed apple juice provides a stunning, glass-like finish.
- The residual heat of the roasted strawberries will slightly soften the ricotta cream, creating a beautiful temperature contrast. Ensure the strawberries have rested for at least 5 minutes out of the oven so they do not completely melt the dessert.
- If your fresh ricotta is very wet, suspend it in cheesecloth over a bowl overnight in the refrigerator. Draining the whey prevents the whipped cream from becoming watery.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store components separately. Assemble just before serving.
Troubleshooting
Apple jelly does not set
Cause: Gelatin was added to boiling liquid, destroying its setting properties, or the gelatin did not bloom fully.
Fix: Return to a saucepan, gently warm without boiling, and whisk in half a sheet of freshly bloomed gelatin. Rechill.
Prevention: Ensure liquid is off the heat and merely steaming before adding thoroughly softened gelatin.
Ricotta cream is grainy or lumpy
Cause: Ricotta had a naturally coarse texture and was not smoothed out before whipping.
Fix: Process the cream briefly in a food processor or with an immersion blender until smooth.
Prevention: Buy high-quality smooth ricotta, or pass coarse ricotta through a fine mesh sieve before whipping.
Strawberry caramel burns on the tray
Cause: Oven hot spots or leaving the fruit in the oven for too long after the water content evaporated.
Fix: If just beginning to scorch, remove immediately and stir in a tablespoon of hot water to loosen the caramel and stop the cooking.
Prevention: Monitor closely after the 10-minute mark and ensure the tray is on the middle rack.
Cultural Context
Originating from the traditional Italian practice of pairing fresh dairy with seasonal fruit, this dessert elevates the rustic combination of ricotta and strawberries. The addition of a set fruit jelly brings a modern European restaurant technique to home dining, balancing the richness of the cheese with sharp acidity and clean fruit flavor.
