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Active Time
1 hr
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Total Time
1 day
This gently sweet ricotta tart provides a creamy base to a rich compote of dried fruit, which includes figs, sour cherries, and apricots (we much prefer the tangy California kind over Turkish). It's much lighter than a cheesecake, but it hits all the right spots. The Miraglia family likes the tart chilled, but we also loved it at room temperature.
Ingredients
Makes 8 to 10 servings
For tart shell:
For ricotta filling:
For fruit compote:
Make shell:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle. Generously butter tart pan.
Step 2
Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter and zest and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Add yolk, vanilla, and water and pulse until just incorporated and dough begins to form large clumps.
Step 3
Turn out dough onto a work surface and divide into 4 pieces. Smear each piece once with heel of your hand in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together using scraper and form into a ball, then flatten into a rectangle.
Step 4
Press dough over bottom and up sides of pan in an even layer with well-floured fingers. Chill shell 45 minutes.
Step 5
Lightly prick shell all over with a fork, then line with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake shell until sides are set and edge is golden, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove weights and foil and bake until shell is golden all over, about 15 minutes more. Cool shell completely in pan on a rack. (Leave oven on.)
Make filling:
Step 6
Beat together cream cheese, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and mix in ricotta, whole egg and egg white, and salt until just combined.
Step 7
Pour filling into cooled tart shell and bake until slightly puffed along edges and just set in center, about 15 minutes. (Center will tremble when tart is gently shaken.) Transfer to a rack and cool completely. Loosely cover tart with plastic wrap and chill until filling is firm, at least 8 hours.
Make compote while tart cools:
Step 8
Bring water, wine, sugar, vanilla bean (if using), and zest to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Stir figs into syrup and simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer figs with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Stir apricots into syrup and simmer until tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer apricots with slotted spoon to bowl with figs. Stir cherries into syrup and simmer until just tender, about 1 minute, then add to fruit using slotted spoon.
Step 9
Boil syrup until reduced to about 1 cup, about 12 minutes. Discard lemon zest and vanilla bean (if using; if using extract, stir in now), then pour syrup over fruit and cool to room temperature. Serve compote with tart.
· Tart can be chilled up to 2 days. Cover tightly after 8 hours. Bring to room temperature before serving if desired.
· Compote can be made 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
· Tart can be made in an 8-inch round tart pan with removable bottom.
How would you rate Ricotta Tart with Dried-Fruit Compote?
Leave a Review
Reviews (10)
Back to TopYum !这道菜是完美的伴奏to the gnocchi/mushroom/butternut squash recipe. I made it as specified in the recipe except that I replaced dried cranberries for the cherries. I used a handy trick from a friend- instead of pie weights I used coin change on top of the foil. I packed some extra for a dinner guest- she didn't think she could get home without eating the third piece. Full confession- I have had two and might have another shortly.
endearingtastes
Chicago, IL
10/3/2010
I made two of these for a party -- the perfect amount for about 20 guests. I made one with sliced strawberries on top and the other with chocolate drizzled on top, and served them with sliced strawberries and nectarines on the side instead of the compote. Please, please make the ricotta from scratch. It is so easy and rewarding! I made a batch from the homemade ricotta recipe on epicurious and it was enough for two tarts.
ciaobe11e
Seattle, WA
7/13/2009
dee-licious! made this for a new year's eve party with fresh ricotta (which is surprisingly easy to make). the dried fruit compote was a nice complement to the light cheese base. I'll definitely make this again.
Anonymous
santa clara, CA
1/10/2009
Doesn't get any better than this. Used dried cranberries instead of cherries in compote. Delicious.
Anonymous
Montreal, Canada
12/26/2008
this is a great recipe and a great base for other flavors. My children love it as a chocolate tart when I melt in choc chips. You could add grand marnier, almond paste or fresh vanilla bean. Anything to change the flavor - and ditch the compote.
juliacs
DF,NY
8/2/2008
I loved this recipe! The tart dough was a little tough to work with, but I have an 11-inch round tart pan and had to multiply everything by 1.5. It might be easier in a smaller tart pan. I refrigerated the dough for a bit (a common step in tart recipes that was not included here) and that made it somewhat easier to work with. I also added lemon juice (maybe 1T) to the filling, which was really good, and made it a bit brighter tasting. I had to use mission figs, because I didn't have time to go searching for Calimyrnas, and I think they would have been better. Still really good though. The compote was also delicious over vanilla ice cream. I think I also upped the lemon juice in the compote, because I tend to prefer things less sweet and this is definitely on the sweet side. The tart would make a good base for other toppings, too - I'm going to make it with fresh glazed blueberries this weekend.
juliaseid
Seattle, WA
5/16/2008
It is absolutely worth it to make your own fresh ricotta for this recipe -- the recipe for that is on this site, just milk, cream, salt, lemon juice and about 10 minutes is all it takes. Easy and impressive! :- ) This is a light tart that goes well with the dried- fruit compote but would also work with berries or other fruits. The filling will also work well in custard cups and baked in a water bath.
austex
Cedar Park
1/16/2008
This was one of the six desserts we had for Thanksgiving. I didn't have an extra tart pan, but did have 4" individual tart pans. I used frozen puff pastry dough this time but will definately make the tart dough from scratch next time. They were recieved well by my guests and hold up lovely to eat later as leftovers. The compote was amazing.
Anonymous
Brevard NC
11/25/2007
i made this using splenda for a diabetic guest and it was a definite hit! the crust was perfect and the ricotta filling delicious (used fresh)
Anonymous
lexington, ma
11/24/2007
I actually made my own ricotta for this recipe: overkill, perhaps, but it did make a difference to use fresh ricotta, since the flavor of the tart filling is delicious but subtle. This is a wonderful dessert: the combination of the creamy filling, crisp crust, and vanilla-scented fruit and syrup is entirely satisfying. I made it for my reading group (people who are jaded by years of eating my desserts) and they all raved about it.
laksmi
Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA
11/7/2007
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