Fresh berries and iced coffee are just some of the many summer favorites people like to indulge in. However, with the cooler seasons ahead, there is no reason why you can’t still enjoy summer favorites for dessert. The fresh fruit with sweetened ricotta, together with the iced coffee drink, are the perfect pairing for the ultimate dessert. The natural sweetness of the berries mixed with the richness of the ricotta, and combined with the bitterness of espresso coffee, blend together deliciously. This is a quick and easy dessert perfect for hosting. So while it may be getting cooler outdoors, there is no reason why you can't bring a little bit of summer to the table.
Ingredients:
For Dessert:
- 1 regular container of Ricotta Cheese
- ½ cup of sugar
- Strawberries (sliced)
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- 1-2 teaspoons of lemon zest
- Dark chocolate
* The amount of berries you need will depend on the number of people you are preparing dessert for. You will be placing this in standard dessert cups, so judge accordingly.
For Drink:
- Espresso coffee
- Sugar
Directions:
For Dessert:
- In a bowl, combine ricotta, sugar, and lemon zest. Stir well.
- Add strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Stir well so that ricotta and berries are well mixed.
- Pour into dessert cups and top with dark chocolate shavings.
Tip: Berries work best for this type of dessert, but if preferred, you can use any other berry or fruit of your choice. Although berries are not in season everywhere during the fall and winter months, most grocery stores still carry imported ones. Alternately, you can use frozen berries by thawing them before hand. The dark chocolate shavings can also be replaced with a milk chocolate or even chocolate chips, depending on your preference.
For Espresso:
- Brew espresso coffee and add sugar. The amount of sugar will depend on the amount of espresso you brew, so add accordingly. Espresso is quite bitter, so you will likely need to ask a few tablespoons of sugar. Set aside and allow to cool.
- Pour the cooled espresso into a bottle suited for freezer use.
- Place espresso into the freezer for at least 3 hours. This can also be done over night.
- Take frozen espresso out of freezer about 1 hour before serving so that it melts slightly. Shake well so that the espresso brakes apart into a slushy consistency.
- Pour into espresso cups and serve with ricotta and fruit dessert.
Tip: If you don’t have an espresso coffee maker, you can just as easily brew and freeze regular coffee and follow the same steps for an iced coffee slushy.
