sweet torte of cannellini beans, ricotta and cocoa powder

flan dolce di cannellini con ricotta e cacao

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour, 40 minutes

MAKES: 1 (9-inch) torte

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Ingredients

PASTRY

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
Fine sea salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing pan
2 large egg yolks

FILLING

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean
Fine sea salt
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 large egg
3 large egg yolks
1 cup fresh whole milk ricotta cheese (about 8 ounces)
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder plus more for dusting
1/2 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: a 9-inch springform cake pan

Instructions

FOR PASTRY: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and pinch salt. Add butter and rub mixture between fingers until it resembles coarse meal. Make a well in center, add egg yolks and 1 tablespoon cold water; mix together just until incorporated. Knead pastry 3 to 4 times, then flatten into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.

FOR FILLING: Combine cream, granulated sugar, vanilla bean and pinch salt in a small saucepan. Over medium heat, bring just to a boil, then remove from heat. Remove and reserve vanilla bean for another use. In a blender, combine cream mixture and beans; purée until smooth. Force mixture through the holes of a medium-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Add whole egg and whisk together to combine.

In a second large bowl, combine egg yolks and ricotta. Sift in confectioners sugar, cocoa powder and 1/8 teaspoon salt; whisk together to combine.

Heat oven to 350º with rack in middle. Butter a 9-inch springform cake pan.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out pastry to a 15-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Fit pastry into prepared cake pan, pressing into edges. Trim excess dough.

Pour half of bean mixture into pastry shell and spread evenly, then, in a single layer, drop spoonfuls of ricotta mixture over the top (since mixtures are loose, do not spread). Drop spoonfuls of remaining bean mixture in a single layer over ricotta mixture to create top layer.

Bake torte, rotating pan once halfway through, until surface begins to crack and a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack and cool 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl stir together yogurt and mascarpone. Unmold torte. Serve warm or at room temperature with yogurt mixture and a dusting of cocoa.

November 2011

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Comments [1]

Delicious, not overly sweet. A nice Christmas dessert. However, the yogurt/mascarpone doesn't really work as a topping...it's way too tangy. Needs something sweeter, like sweetened cream.

Posted: April 17, 2012 17:57 by dmgularte