Ricotta and fig mousse with balsamic vinegar caramel

Preparing the ricotta and fig mousse cake with balsamic vinegar caramel is very simple. The only secret is to use a top-quality ricotta.

The ricotta mousse is distinguished from other cakes by its delicate flavor and texture. It can be combined with almost any fruit, not only with figs.

The cake is suitable for children as well as adults.

In late summer, you can prepare this dessert with figs, which are now abundant. At other times you can adapt the recipe using other seasonal fruits, or with chocolate, coffee or other flavours.

Adding balsamic vinegar caramel gives depth and complexity to this delicious cake. It also makes a perfect birthday cake.

Ingredients

15 extra-large ladyfinger biscuits

200 ml Alkermes or other liqueur as you like (or fruit juice, such as pomegranate or wild berries)

15 ripe figs

500 gm. whipping cream

400 gm. fresh ricotta cheese

60 gm. sugar

10 gm. gelatine

For the caramel sauce and balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

4 figs

80 gm. sugar

40 gm. butter

Equipment

1 medium tart-pan, 1 glass bowl, 2 medium sauce-pans, 1 whisk, 1 medium bowl, 1 large bowl, cling film, chopping board.

Method

First, soak the gelatine in cold water.

Pour about 100 gm. (from the total of 500 gm.) of cream in a saucepan, boil, remove from heat

add the well-squeezed gelatine.

Turn well with a whisk. Set apart until cool.

Add sugar to the remaining cream, whip until cream forms firm peaks, then place in fridge.

Use fork to separate the ricotta.

Take the now cold mix of cream and gelatine, add a small amount of ricotta, and whisk*.

Add the remaining ricotta and whisk well.

Take the whipped cream from the fridge. Add a small amount of the whipped cream to the ricotta-cream-gelatine-mix.

See the photos below, where the blue bowl contains the ricotta, gelatine, and cream mix and the white bowl contains the whipped cream.

Add the remaining whipped cream to the ricotta-cream-gelatine-mix.

Once the 2 creams are well blended, the mousse is ready.

This is the procedure to prepare the tart pan.

Wash and dry the figs, cut them into slices about 0.5 mm thick.

Line tart pan with cling film.

Arrange the fig slices at the bottom of the tart pan (you will invert the dessert to serve so the bottom will be on top).

Arrange the remaining fig slices on the sides of the pan.

Gently cover the fig slices with the ricotta mousse,

then level with a spatula or a knife.

Pour Alkermes into a dish, soak ladyfinger biscuits

and place on top of the mousse.

Place dessert in fridge and chill for at least 4 hours.

While the dessert is in the fridge, you can prepare the caramel sauce with balsamic vinegar.

Place 40 gm. butter and 80 gm. sugar in medium saucepan, stir over low heat until caramelized.

Peel 4 ripe figs, place them in the caramel and gently stir to coat them.

Add the balsamic vinegar and cook stirring constantly until the sauce is dark brown.

Pour into a glass bowl and set apart.

To assemble.

Take the ricotta mousse from the fridge, turn it over the serving dish.

Remove the tart pan and the cling film.

The dessert is ready!

Cut into slices and serve with balsamic vinegar caramel drizzled over the top or spooned on the side.

Special tips.

If figs are not available, you can use fresh raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, or other seasonal fruits.

Alkermes is a perfumed and coloured liqueur, but if you serve this cake to children, you can use pomegranate or other coloured fruit juices instead.

Buy a good quality ricotta.

*Adding a small amount of one cream to another is important to avoid clumping. In kitchen jargon, this is called the “sacrifice”, because the first amount is sacrificed to allow the remaining cream to acquire the perfect texture.

Instead of ladyfingers, you can prepare a pie crust, see recipe here. When the pie crust is cooked and cold, place on top of the mousse in the tart pan (follow the same procedure as above: first cover the tart pan with figs, add the ricotta mix, then place the cooked pie crust on top).