Crostata with Lemon Custard and Whipped Ricotta Cream

Would you like a slice of a delicate and elegant dessert? Let me offer you an Italian-style crostata filled with two layers of heavenly, tender, lemony creams topped with sour-sweet berries. Mmmm the dessert feels so light and airy and delicious. I foresee your desire for another slice. Please do not hesitate and help yourself with more. Decorate with any seasonal berries or fruit of your choice. Serve with tea, coffee, or dessert wine.

• Preparation Time: 35 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 60 mins
• Calories: 418 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cubed
• 2 lemon, juiced
• ⅜ cup white sugar, divided
• ⅜ cup unsalted butter, cubed
• ½ cup 35% heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup fresh raspberries, or as needed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Combine flour, 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter, sugar, egg, baking powder, and vanilla extract in a food processor. Blend ingredients until dough starts sticking together and forms one piece.

Step 3

Wrap crostata dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Step 4

Remove dough from the refrigerator. Roll out dough using a lightly floured rolling pin on a work surface, or flatten it directly onto a baking sheet using your fingers, to form crostata shell. Pierce shell with a fork to prevent air bubbles during baking.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven until sides are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 6

Remove crostata from the oven and set aside to cool.

Step 7

While crostata cools, pour lemon juice into a heavy saucepan through a sieve and stir in 3 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Heat mixture over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Step 8

Beat remaining sugar, eggs, and flour together in a mixing bowl using an electric mixer or a whisk until white and airy in texture.

Step 9

Pour warm lemon juice mixture into egg mixture slowly, whisking constantly. Pour custard mixture back into the saucepan.

Step 10

Heat custard mixture over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and continue to mix until the uneven texture becomes smooth, about 1 minute. Add butter gradually to custard 1 piece at a time, stirring constantly, until smooth. Let custard cool to room temperature.

Step 11

While custard cools, combine ricotta cheese, whipping cream, confectioners' sugar, and lemon zest in a food processor. Blend until mixture is uniform and smooth in texture, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer ricotta cream to a bowl.

Step 12

Place lemon custard and ricotta cream in the refrigerator to cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Step 13

Remove custard and cream from the refrigerator. Spread lemon custard evenly on cooled crostata crust. Spread ricotta cream on top of lemon custard. Decorate with raspberries. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.