Ricotta Hazelnut and Chocolate Cake

The ricotta cake with hazelnuts and chocolate is a delicious dessert and quite simple to make. Here is the recipe and the procedure to prepare it.

Ingredients

• 250 g ricotta
• 150 g sugar
• 150 g toasted and chopped hazelnuts
• 100 g chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips
• 3 eggs
• 100 g 00 flour
• 50 g melted and cooled butter
• 1 packet baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• Powdered sugar for decoration (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. In a bowl, beat the ricotta with the sugar until you obtain a homogeneous mixture.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the whites and add the yolks to the ricotta mixture, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Incorporate the chopped hazelnuts and chocolate into the ricotta and yolk mixture.
5. Add the melted butter and stir until the mixture is uniform.
6. In another bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks with a pinch of salt.
7. Sift the flour with the baking powder and gently fold them into the ricotta mixture, alternating with the beaten egg whites, mixing from the bottom up to avoid deflating the mixture.
8. Pour the batter into a previously buttered and floured cake pan, or lined with parchment paper.
9. Bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
10. Once baked, let the cake cool in the pan before turning it out onto a serving plate.
11. If desired, before serving, dust the surface with powdered sugar for a sweet and refined finish.

Trivia

Ricotta is an ingredient widely used in Italian pastry, especially in cakes, for its creamy consistency and delicate flavor that pairs perfectly with dried fruit and chocolate. Hazelnuts, particularly those from Piedmont such as the “Tonda Gentile” variety, are highly appreciated for their quality and unique flavor, and are often used in Italian sweet recipes.