Ricotta w/ Vanilla Sugar Croutons and Berries

Who here loves cheesecake?!  ME ME ME!  I adore cheesecake...something about the creaminess and the savory-ness of the cream cheese that really gets me interested.  Top that slice off with some fruit and I’m yours forever {hear that, Steve?}.  What I don’t like about cheesecake is this:  it’s a huge calorie bomb.  Have you seen the recipes out there for low-fat cheesecake?  Just....don’t.  Most of them are just bad...dry...ugh.  Cheesecake is one of those things that you just can’t make low-fat/low-calorie...for one, it’s not like a huge slice of low-fat cheesecake is going to be 100 calories.  Oh no....that low fat stick of cream cheese and sugar substitute is not going to save you many cals.  And when you take that first bite of a mediocre cheesecake, it’s not nearly as satisfying as the full flavor type.  Just trust me...full fat cheesecake or no cheesecake...plain and simple.  Which leads me into today’s dessert and the things I love about it -- ta da!  Savory ricotta cheese gets a dessert makeover!  Wham!  When I took a spoonful of this to my lips I had a cheesecake moment--the cheese, the vanilla, the fruit.  YUM.  It’s a great substitute for that devilish dessert.  Oh and did I mention how crazy easy it was?  I made this recipe for a dinner party and literally had each part made hours ahead of time.  All I had to do was assemble and pass out the deliciousness.  Easy as..pie. {I hate that expression -- I don’t think there’s anything about pie that is easy...unless you have a store bought graham cracker crust and a can of cherry pie filling....}

Ricotta with Vanilla-Sugar Croutons and Berries (4 servings)

Giada de Laurentiis

Croutons:

1/4 (4 ounces) ciabatta loaf, cut into 1-inch cubes

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla sugar, recipe follows

Syrup:

1/2 cup orange juice (from 1 medium orange)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup blueberries

8 strawberries, hulled and quartered

Ricotta:

1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese

3 teaspoons orange zest (from 1 medium orange)

1 teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon)

1 tablespoon vanilla sugar, recipe follows

1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh mint leaves

For the Croutons:

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl, toss together the bread cubes and melted butter. Add the vanilla sugar and toss until the bread cubes are coated in sugar. Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely.

For the Syrup:

In a small saucepan, bring the orange juice, lemon juice, and sugar to a simmer, over medium-low heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the blueberries and strawberries and simmer until the fruit softens, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cool the syrup to room temperature.

For the Ricotta:

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix well.

To serve: Divide the ricotta mixture between 4 decorative dessert bowls. Spoon the fruit syrup over the ricotta and top with the croutons. Garnish with the sliced mint.

Vanilla Sugar:

2 cups sugar

1 vanilla bean

Place the sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Using a paring knife, slice the vanilla bean in half, lengthways, and scrape out the seeds. Add the vanilla seeds to the sugar. Pulse 10 to 15 times until the vanilla and sugar are combined. Cut the empty vanilla pod into 1-inch pieces and place in a glass mason jar. Add the vanilla sugar to the jar and seal. Shake the jar before using.

Yield: 2 cups