This recipe is from my friend Narcissa Titman, who got it from her friend Betty Kramer; Betty no longer recalls where she discovered it. I added the rhubarb sauce. If you don’t have heart molds, just use a wide, shallow sieve.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound whole-milk ricotta
  • 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 large egg whites
  • Pinch salt
  • 4 cups chopped rhubarb (about 8 stalks)
  • cup sugar
  • 1 clove
  • ¼ cinnamon stick
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

      352 calories; 24 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 22 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 17 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 92 milligrams cholesterol; 157 milligrams sodium

    • Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

Serves 6

Preparation

  1. Line two seven-inch-wide ceramic heart-shaped molds (with holes) or an 8-inch round, shallow sieve with 4 layers of cheesecloth that have been rinsed in cold water and rung out.
  2. Using the back of a spoon, press the ricotta through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl. Stir in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Whip the cream and fold it into the ricotta mixture. Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, then fold them into the ricotta as well.
  3. Fill the lined mold or sieve with the ricotta mixture, making sure you don’t flatten or mush it. Fold the excess cheesecloth over the ricotta. Place on a tray or in a bowl and refrigerate overnight to drain.
  4. The next day, combine the rhubarb, sugar, clove and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Cover and place over medium heat. Simmer until the pieces are soft but still intact, 5 minutes. Let cool.
  5. To serve, unmold the ricotta cream onto a platter and pass it along with the rhubarb sauce.

Dining and Cooking