No-Bake Ricotta Cake

The no-bake ricotta cake is a delicious no-cook dessert, perfect for hot days or when you don’t feel like turning on the oven. Here’s what you need and how to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 250 g dry biscuits (such as Digestive or butter biscuits)
• 100 g melted butter
• 500 g ricotta
• 120 g powdered sugar
• Grated zest of 1 lemon (untreated)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 150 ml fresh whipping cream
• Fresh fruit to taste for decoration (strawberries, kiwi, raspberries, etc.)
• (Optional) Chocolate chips or candied fruit pieces

Preparation

1. Start by crushing the biscuits until you obtain a sand-like consistency. You can do this in a food processor or by placing them in a bag and rolling over them with a rolling pin.
2. Melt the butter and mix it with the crushed biscuits.
3. Take a springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Pour the biscuit and butter mixture into the pan and press it firmly to create a compact base. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to set.
4. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the ricotta with the powdered sugar until creamy. Add the grated lemon zest and vanilla extract and combine all ingredients well.
5. In another bowl, whip the cream until stiff and gently fold it into the ricotta mixture, taking care not to deflate it.
6. (Optional) If desired, add chocolate chips or pieces of candied fruit to the ricotta mixture.
7. Pour the ricotta cream over the chilled biscuit base and level the surface with a spatula.
8. Let the cake rest in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow it to set.
9. Before serving, decorate the surface of the cake with fresh fruit to taste.

This no-bake ricotta cake is a versatile base: you can customize it as you prefer with additions or modifications to the ingredients. For example, one variation may include a layer of melted chocolate on the bottom of the cake before adding the ricotta cream, or you could incorporate fresh or syruped berries into the cream.