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Hello! I’m Anjali. I’m a board certified health coach, author, wife, mom and food lover from the SF Bay area (now living in Seattle, WA!); with a passion for delicious food and a desire to make healthy eating easy, tasty and fun! Learn more about me here and stay for a while!

Anjali Shah

Ricotta Pie with Dark Chocolate and Cherries

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Mouthwatering and irresistible, this recipe for Dark Chocolate and Ricotta Pie is subtly sweet and creamy with hints of citrusy lemon, chunks of dark chocolate, and a layer of cherry preserves that are paired with a buttery crust. Inspired by Italy, this classic recipe is so simple to make and perfect for a quick dessert after dinner!

dark chocolate and ricotta pie, finished with fresh cherries, on a cake stand

This dark chocolate ricotta pie recipe is one of my favorite desserts out there. The flavor combinations of tangy and sweet cherry preserves paired with a creamy filling are just out-of-this-world and will truly satisfy your sweet tooth. The flaky golden crust of this dark chocolate tart has an amazing texture that balances out the ricotta filling. 

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This classic and old Italian-inspired recipe tastes just like what you would find in a patisserie in Italy. Pair this ricotta pie with a light dusting of confectioners sugar or a drizzle of dark chocolate syrup to really elevate this chocolate cherry dessert. You could even top this ricotta tart with homemade whipped cream: yum!

I learned about this Italian pie recipe through a cooking class I took in Rome. Once I got back home, I just had to try it out!

Because this recipe is so comforting and delicious, the whole household will be begging for a slice. Even if you have some picky eaters to feed, they will probably enjoy this flavorful pie. Soft and delectable with a slight amount of fruitiness; everyone will want a piece of this pie!

What Makes This Italian Ricotta Pie Recipe So Good?

  • So Easy to Make: With just a handful of simple steps, you can have this recipe ready for a crowd or your family within a short amount of time.
  • Light in Flavor: This recipe is not overbearingly sweet, it has a very subtle light flavor. Delicate and tender! 
  • Versatile: This chocolate ricotta pie is so versatile with different options that could please anyone! No matter what time of the year it is, this flexible recipe can be easily adapted.
dark chocolate and ricotta pie, finished with fresh cherries, on a cake stand

Recipe Ingredients and Notes

Our chocolate dessert recipe is seriously so easy to make with a divine sweet taste! You’re going to fall in love with this effortless and rich ricotta pie that uses only a handful of basic ingredients for the crust and filling. 

ricotta pie ingredients

Eggs: You will need eggs at room temperature for this recipe. I like to use organic fresh farm eggs when possible. You could even use duck eggs in this recipe. I haven’t tried it with flax eggs or egg whites.

Dairy: You need cold butter, creamy ricotta cheese and a little bit of milk. Either salted or unsalted butter will work. You can use any type of milk you would like, but I recommend using whole milk ricotta — it’s essential to making this sweet ricotta pie super creamy and rich.

Dry Ingredients: All-purpose flour is in this recipe. Sugar is needed for the filling and crust, but you could try substituting with coconut sugar for an option without refined sugar. Also, be sure to grab Kosher sea salt for this pie.

Lemon: One to two good-sized lemons for the lemon zest.

Dark chocolate: Either a dark chocolate bar or mini chocolate chips will work. If you’re using a whole bar, just make sure to crush the chocolate into tiny pieces so that it can easily be incorporated into the ricotta filling.

Cherry preserves: Freshly made cherry preserves are what we recommend, but store bought preserves are fine.

For Serving: Confectioners or powdered (superfine) sugar, dark chocolate syrup, more cherry preserves, or even homemade whipped cream would be great for this dark chocolate and ricotta tart.

Tools and Equipment You’ll Need

Step by Step Instructions

Place Flour On Cutting Board: First, separate the eggs. Next, on the cutting board, create a “well” with the flour. 

flour well

Prepare The Dough: Add the butter, sugar, egg yolks, and a pinch of salt to the center of the “well” in the flour.

Add The Lemon Zest: Using a grater, grate the fresh lemon zest into the “well” of the flour. 

eggs added to flour

Knead The Dough: Next, knead the dough on the wooden cutting board until it turns into a smooth and tight ball. Wrap the dough ball in saran wrap and chill. 

dough ball on a wooden cutting board

Make The Filling: In a large mixing bowl, using a wooden spoon, mix the ricotta until smooth and add sugar, egg, and the zest of a lemon. Alternatively, you can use a hand mixer. Add a drop of milk as needed. 

eggs ricotta salt lemon zest combined in a bowl

Add The Chocolate: If using a chocolate bar, then chop the chocolate with a sharp knife and add the mini chips into the creamy ricotta mixture. 

dark chocolate added to ricotta mixture

Roll The Dough: With a rolling pin, roll the dough on a flat surface in between sheets of parchment paper.

pie dough pressed between parchment paper

Transfer To Cake Tin: Next, lift the pastry and place it into the tart pan or cake tin. Press the pastry up to the sides of the tin.

pie crust in a baking dish

Add The Cherry Preserves: Spread a layer of the preserves on the bottom of the pastry crust.

cherry preserves spread on pie crust

Fill the Pie Crust with Ricotta: Finally, pour in the ricotta mixture. If you have any extra pastry crust, then you can make little cookies put them on the top of the pies. You can also make a lattice top on the ricotta pie using the extra crust.

ricotta mixture added to pie crust

Bake The Ricotta Pie: Bake the dark chocolate and ricotta tart at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. 

ricotta pie fresh out of the oven

Serve: Cut the ricotta pie into 16 slices. If preferred, sprinkle the tart with powdered sugar and a drizzle of dark chocolate syrup. Happy baking!

dark chocolate and ricotta pie, finished with fresh cherries, on a cake stand

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Recipe FAQs

How long does ricotta pie last?

Ricotta pie will last in the refrigerator either in plastic wrap or an airtight container for about three to four days. The dark chocolate tart will remain fresh at room temperature for up to two to three hours.

Can ricotta pie be frozen?

Ricotta cheese pie can be frozen! It will keep in the fridge for 2-3 months. When ready to enjoy the pie again, allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Does ricotta pie need to be refrigerated?

If you are not immediately serving the pie, then yes, the ricotta pie should be refrigerated.

Recipe Variations

  • In place of the lemon zest, you could even use orange zest or lime zest.
  • Make this gluten free by using a gluten free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. If the flour blend does not contain the xanthan, then you will have to add it.
  • Try adding 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract into the ricotta mixture for a twist on this recipe!
  • Instead of using cherry preserves, this recipe would also be delicious with strawberry, blueberry, orange, or raspberry preserves.
  • If you don’t have ricotta cheese, then you can substitute with mascarpone cheese or even cream cheese.
  • A store bought pie shell will work for this pie recipe if you are unable to make your own.

Top Tips for Making Chocolate Ricotta Pie

  • Don’t forget to Chill the Dough! Make sure to place the dough in the refrigerator before rolling it out.
  • Don’t slice until cool: Allow the pie to completely cool prior to cutting into slices.
  • To Store: Simply place the ricotta tart in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to four days, or in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
  • Modify As Needed: You can use this pastry crust recipe for just about any pastry you make – modifying it as needed. I could just eat it straight out of the oven with a dusting of powdered sugar on top in the form of little sugar cookies. So tasty!
dark chocolate and ricotta pie, finished with fresh cherries, on a cake stand

More Pies & Desserts to Try!

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dark chocolate and ricotta pie, finished with fresh cherries, on a cake stand
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5 from 5 votes

Dark Chocolate and Ricotta Pie

Mouthwatering and irresistible, this recipe for Dark Chocolate and Ricotta Pie is subtly sweet and creamy with hints of citrusy lemon, chunks of dark chocolate, and a layer of cherry preserves that are paired with a buttery crust. Inspired by Italy, this classic recipe is so simple to make and perfect for an elegant dessert after dinner!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 16 slices
Calories: 309kcal
Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

Pastry:

Filling:

  • 500 grams ricotta 17.6 oz
  • 1 large egg
  • 100 grams sugar 3.5 oz
  • Lemon zest
  • ½ tsp milk (just a dash)
  • ½ cup Coarsely chopped dark chocolate
  • 4 tbsp Fresh cherry preserves

Instructions

  • Separate your eggs. Create a “well” with the flour on a wooden cutting board. Add the butter, sugar, egg yolks and a pinch of salt to the middle of the “well”.
  • Grate fresh lemon zest into the “well”.
  • Knead the dough on the cutting board until it forms a smooth, tight ball. Then wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate for 30 min.
  • Mix ricotta until smooth, add sugar, one egg, lemon zest and drop of milk if needed.
  • Chop your chocolate bar and add the chocolate chips to the ricotta mixture.
  • Roll the pastry out between two sheets of parchment paper.
  • Lift the pastry (with the parchment) into the cake tin. One parchment paper should be at the bottom of the tin, then the pastry, and then you can lift the second parchment paper up. Press the pastry up to the sides of the tin.
  • Spread the cherry preserves on the bottom of the pastry.
  • Pour in the ricotta mixture, and if you have any extra pastry crust you can make little cookies out of it and top the ricotta mixture with the cookies.
  • Bake at 300 degrees F for 30 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
  • Cut into 16 slices, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve with a dark chocolate drizzle.

Notes

Top Tips for Making Chocolate Ricotta Pie
  • Don’t forget to Chill the Dough! Make sure to place the dough in the refrigerator before rolling it out.
  • Don’t slice until cool: Allow the pie to completely cool prior to cutting into slices.
  • To Store: Simply place the ricotta tart in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to four days, or in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
  • Modify As Needed: You can use this pastry crust recipe for just about any pastry you make – modifying it as needed. I could just eat it straight out of the oven with a dusting of powdered sugar on top in the form of little sugar cookies. So tasty!
Recipe from Convivio Rome

Nutrition

Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 110mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g

22 responses to “Ricotta Pie with Dark Chocolate and Cherries”

  1. Oh my God this chocolate and ricotta pie is so mouthwatering. Definitely going to make this weekend.5 stars

  2. So delicious and we love that it was light on the flavor! Tips were so helpful and turned out great! Definitely making this again soon!5 stars

    • Hi Adriane! How did it turn out? I think you probably could use a food processor for the crust. In the class we made it the “authentic” way — which is doing everything by hand, including kneading the dough! Hope that helps and I hope you liked this recipe!

  3. Hi,

    I love the look of this, but as I read through the recipe I notice it says to at flour to the filling but doesn’t say how much. Is the addition of flour the typo or has the amount of flour been missed when typing the ingredient list?

    Would love to try it as I had something in a cafe the other day that looks very similar and it was the most amazing thing I’ve ever tried!!!

    Fingers crossed its as good 🙂

    Kind regards,
    Rebecca

    • Hi Rebecca! Great catch – so sorry that was a typo! There is no flour in the filling. I have updated the ingredients and the directions so it should be clear now. Let me know if you have any other questions and let me know how it turns out! 🙂

  4. This looks awesome! I love tarts. I’m sure the ricotta and dark chocolate pair really well together.

    • Thanks Crystal!! 🙂 And yes – they really do – it’s like the perfect pairing (and not too sweet!)

  5. The way that crust came together was like magic! It looks beautiful and delicious. You can never go wrong with dark chocolate.

    • 100% agree. Dark chocolate is one of my favorite things to eat 🙂 You have to try this recipe Sue!! It is pure deliciousness.

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