Sunday, April 30, 2006

Strawberries ricotta cakes

Here is a recipe for small strawberry cakes with a twist that I made a week or so ago. These are pretty unusual because they contain no flour (and are thus suitable for people on gluten-free diet), instead relying on milk curd or ricotta, ground almonds and strawberries to give the body, flavour and texture.

They're especially nice when still warm, and have 'the summer is almost here' written all over them. Baked in muffin tins, these are ideal for a spring buffet. If you want to serve them as a plated dessert, then you could drizzle some strawberry coulis on the plate and garnish with mint leaves.

Strawberry ricotta cakes
(Maasika-kohupiimakoogid)
Yields 12
Adapted from
Sanitarium Health Food Company, Australia



400 grams ricotta or milk curd cheese
3 Tbsp caster sugar
3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp lemon zest
3 Tbsp ground almonds
~ 200 grams strawberries, coarsely chopped

To sprinkle:
superfine caster sugar
cinnamon

To serve:
strawberries and whipped cream

Mix milk curd, sugar, eggs, ground almonds, lemon zest and strawberries in a bowl.
Line 12 muffin tins with paper cups, divide the curd cheese mixture between the tins.
Sprinkle with fine sugar and cinnamon.
Bake at 180°C for about 40 minutes, until the cakes have risen and are lovely golden colour.
Serve warm or slightly cooled*, decorating the cakes with strawberries and whipped cream.

* It is not advisable to put these cakes in the fridge, as the curd cheese becomes somewhat grainy.

12 comments:

Orchidea said...

Interesting cakes... I would like to try the recipe.

Ciao.

Pene said...

Makes me want to buy some strawberries. Also makes me homesick seeing that name "Sanatarium" - great products.

Valentina said...

Oh Paz, what a lovely recipe. I have just forwarded it to a friend as well.She is having a friend over who is glutten-intollerant. Thanks a mill. And have a lovely week.

Thredahlia said...

Päris huvtav - just see et jahuta.
Ise tegin pühapäevaseks kanuumatkaks kaasa riccottaga keeksikesi, pähklite ja aprikoosidega - ja lõunapäikses munavõileibu ja keeksikesi mugides mõtlesime, et kui nüüd veel maasikaid ka kuskilt saaks...

Clivia said...

*swoon*
I wonder how many weeks to go before you can buy Swedish strawberries... What a perfect summer´s dessert!

Anonymous said...

Hi Pillie

Interested to hear whether you used English strawberries. I bought some at the market this weekend and have to say found them a little bitter. Maybe its just not the season for them yet?

Pille said...

Orchidea - I think in Sweden you can also use Kesella for this recipe, or ricotta, if you want to stay true to your Italian heritage:)

Pene - happy to bring you back nice memories..

Valentina - hey, it's Pille blogging here, not Paz:) I have few coeliac friends as well, so I'm always on the lookout for recipes that would suite them.

Paz - it was a very cute slip of tongue, I didn't mind at all:)

Thredahlia - huvitav jah:) Nagu ütlesin, mul palju tsöliaakiahaigeid sõpru, nii et otsin alati nendele sobivaid retsepte. Ja kaugel see maasikate aegki enam on..

Clivia - back home we don't have strawberries until Mid-Summer or late June. But they are soooo nice then (especially from my mum's garden:)

Gastrochick - nope, they were imported, bought from a small & well-stocked greengrocer. But they did actually taste surprisingly strawberry-like, if I may say so. Not many imported strawberries do..

Pene said...

I made these yesterday to take to a get together of English speaking women. I used frozen strawberries which were cheaper & had more flavour than the fresh Spanish ones available. They were delicious. Thanks for the recipe.

Anonymous said...

one word Pille. Yum yum! ok 2 words! Do you still have any???

Anonymous said...

This looks fab. Will definitely bookmark this.

Kala said...

makes me salivate! absolutely wonderful to the palate!

Pille said...

Pene - I'm so glad you liked them, and thanks for the feedback!

Bea - you must be joking:)

Mae - hope you'll enjoy them!

Nicolas - thanks, and welcome to my blog!