Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Marie Ostrosky for The Washington Post
Brimming with cannoli-style ricotta cream and fresh raspberries, garnished with mint and showered with confectioner’s sugar, these elegant chocolate cups are a sumptuous and healthful treat. They can be ready effortlessly if you buy chocolate cups, or you can embrace the easy arts-and-crafts-like project of making the cups yourself. To do so, you’ll need a set of mini-muffin-size silicone baking cups and a small, clean paint brush.
Make Ahead: The chocolate cups may be made, then filled with ricotta and topped with raspberries, up to 1 day in advance; store tightly covered in the refrigerator.
Chocolate Cups With Ricotta Cream and Raspberries
Ingredients
6 ounces (170 grams) dark chocolate (60 to 70 percent), chopped; may substitute 16 (1/2-ounce) chocolate dessert cups, see NOTE
2/3 cup (150 grams) whole milk ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
6 ounces fresh raspberries
16 small fresh mint leaves
Directions
If making the chocolate cups, melt three-quarters (about 4 1/2 ounces) of the chocolate in a bowl set over a pot with about 2 inches of barely simmering water (make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water). Transfer to a towel-lined counter (this helps the bowl to stay put), add the remaining chocolate, and stir until completely melted.
Fill a silicone baking cup about a third of the way with the chocolate, then, using a paint brush, spread the chocolate to the top of each cup, layering the sides as thickly as possible. Repeat with the remaining chocolate and silicone cups. Place the filled cups onto a large rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Carefully pop the chocolate cups out of the liners.
In a small bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the ricotta cheese until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Stir in the sugar and the lemon zest.
Using a small spoon fill each chocolate cup with about 2 teaspoons of the ricotta mixture. (You can also transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a narrow tip and pipe the mixture into the cups.) Top each cup with 2 to 3 raspberries. Garnish with a mint leaf and sprinkle with additional confectioners’ sugar right before serving.
NOTE: To make the cups, you’ll need: 16 mini-muffin size silicone baking cups and a small, clean paint brush. Alternatively you can purchase 16 (1/2-ounce) chocolate dessert cups.
Makes 8 servings
Per serving: Calories 158; Total Fat 12g (Saturated Fat 7g); Cholesterol 10mg; Sodium 16mg; Total Carbohydrates 15g; Dietary Fiber 4g; Protein 5g; Sugar 9g
