Dessert "Zukotto" from savoiardi cookies, with ricotta, chocolate and candied fruit

Zuccotto (ital. Zuccotto) is an Italian (Tuscan) dessert in the shape of a dome, invented, as they say, in Florence several centuries ago. This is a chilled biscuit cake with a delicate filling - traditionally made from ricotta with cocoa. You can experiment with this dessert by adding zest, dried fruits, berries or nuts to the filling. In this recipe, candied fruits and chocolate are added to the cream. Instead of biscuit cakes, savoiardi cookies are used.

Ingredients

• Savoiardi biscuits - 250 g
• Ricotta - 300 g
• Cream 30% - 250 ml
• Powdered sugar - 100 g (to taste)
• Dark chocolate - 60 g
• Candied fruits - 80 g
• Cocoa powder (dark, high fat) - 20 g
• Coffee (drink) - 150 ml
• Amaretto liqueur / rum / cognac - 2-3 tbsp. spoons (to taste)
• For decoration (optional):
• Powdered sugar / cocoa powder - to taste
• Berries - to taste

Directions

1. Prepare the necessary ingredients. Cool cream.
2. Also prepare a domed shape - a regular bowl will do. The diameter of my form is 19 cm. In the form of a different diameter, the cake will turn out higher or lower. Close the bottom and walls of the form with cling film so that the ends of the film hang down.
3. Pour cold cream into a bowl for whipping, add powdered sugar. Beat until you get a thick and fluffy cream.
4. Combine whipped cream with ricotta (if desired, ricotta can be pre-rubbed through a sieve or punched with a blender). Mix until a homogeneous cream is obtained.
5. Divide the cream into two unequal parts - 2/3 and 1/3.
6. Chop the chocolate and candied fruits with a knife.
7. Add chopped chocolate and candied fruits to most of the ricotta buttercream. Mix.
8. Add cocoa powder to a smaller part of the cream and also mix until smooth.
9. If desired, to achieve the desired taste and color, the amount of cocoa powder can be increased or decreased.
10. Pour coffee into a wide bowl, add alcohol. If desired, a little sugar can be added to the impregnation.
11. Dip savoiardi biscuits in coffee for a couple of seconds and put in a mold. Lay out most of the cookies along the bottom and sides of the mold close to each other so that there are no voids - this will be the surface of the zucotto.
12. Put a part of the cream with chocolate and candied fruits into the mold. Smooth out.
13. Put cocoa cream on top.
14. Form the base of the zucotto from the remaining cookies.
15. Gather the ends of the film and cover the dessert with them.
16. Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours (I usually cook in the evening and leave overnight).
17. Remove a well-chilled dessert from the refrigerator, unfold the film, turn the bowl over onto a dish. Remove bowl and cling film.
18. Zukotto is ready.
19. Before serving, the dessert can be sprinkled with powdered sugar or cocoa and garnished with berries.
20. Enjoy your meal!