Mocha Ricotta Pie with Strawberries

This pie is one of my absolute favorite desserts. It's in my top three of all time, right up there with almond butter thumbprints and salted caramel brownies.

What makes it so fabulous is the trifecta of a lightly sweetened, crunchy shortbread crust, a rich and creamy ricotta filling with chocolate, coffee, and a hint of lemon (yes, lemon!), and a topping of juicy strawberries. It reminds me of the amazing Southern-style chocolate pie I always used to eat at the now-defunct Marimont Cafeteria in Austin, Texas, but with a mature Italian twist and bright berries to lighten things up.

Really good dark chocolate and high quality, full-fat ricotta are important for this pie. (Good coffee won't hurt either, but I love my Café Bustelo.) I was so excited about having a tub of Narragansett Creamery ricotta in my fridge that I proceeded to completely forget I'd bought it to make zucchini lasagna, and dumped all of it into the filling for this pie.

If the idea of lemon and chocolate together has left you feeling dubious about this recipe, I urge you to just try it. After all, chocolate and orange are a well-loved pair (although one I never enjoyed as a child--for some reason citrus and chocolate seems like an adult flavor combination). And I'm not the only one to pair lemon and chocolate, as evidenced by a quick google search revealing this tart and this cake, among many others.

I initially added lemon zest to the pie filling because chocolate and coffee together can result in a deep, heavy flavor, which could benefit from brightening up a bit. The lemon also goes well with the ricotta, and the two together give this pie some Italian flair. After tasting a bit of the filling with the lemon zest mixed in and loving the taste, I added a bit of lemon extract, too. I'm listing it as optional because I know many of you won't have it, but my little bottle of lemon extract is one of my most treasured kitchen ingredients and I highly recommend buying some. It makes anything fruity taste more delicious and more complex, and I'm thrilled to know the trick works on chocolate, too.

Overall, this is a must-try pie. My mom was over when I made it and she loved it, too, so I may have to make it again for Mother's Day!

Mocha Ricotta Pie with Strawberries
Yield: 8-12 servings
Prep time: 25 minutes, plus at least 2 hours to chill
Bake time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

For the crust:

2 cups lightly packed almond flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup finely ground raw sugar or coconut sugar*
Pinch of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon melted butter

For the filling:

1/3 cup strong brewed coffee, at room temperature
2 teaspoons grassfed gelatin
2/3 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate (I used Callebaut 60% cacao)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)
Pinch of sea salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
16 ounces full-fat ricotta cheese

For serving:

1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
Powdered sugar and/or sprigs of mint (optional)

*If your sugar is coarse, pulse it a few times in a spice or coffee grinder. You can also just use coarse sugar as-is if you don't mind crunchy grains of sugar in the crust!

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9-inch round springform pan thoroughly with butter or ghee (or, if your pan is not airtight or you want to make it easier to remove the bottom later, line the pan with foil and grease that).

To make the crust, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the vanilla and melted butter or ghee. Mix thoroughly with a fork or by hand. The dough will be crumbly, but should stick together when squeezed.

Use your hands to pat the dough evenly into the pan, covering the bottom and going a little over an inch up the sides. Bake the crust for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let the crust cool for at least 20 minutes before adding the filling.

To make the filling, put the brewed coffee in a small saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Let it sit for five minutes so the gelatin can bloom. While that's happening, put the chopped chocolate, cocoa powder, honey, lemon zest, lemon extract (if using), and salt in a large, heatproof bowl.

Once the gelatin has softened (the surface of the coffee will look wrinkly), add the cream to the saucepan and set over low heat. Warm, stirring occasionally, until steam begins to rise around the edges of the pan. Do not let the mixture come to a simmer. Pour the hot coffee mixture into the bowl with the chocolate and other ingredients, and let it sit for a couple of minutes to melt the chocolate. Whisk until smooth.

Add the ricotta and whisk again. Pour the mixture into the cooled crust. Cover the pan with foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the filling is set.

Remove the pie from the pan and place on a serving platter. Arrange the strawberry slices on top, starting at the outer edges and making overlapping circles toward the center. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Slice and serve.

Leftover pie can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to two days. Although the crust won't be quite as crispy, it will still be delicious.

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