Cocoa Crumble with Ricotta and Chocolate

To prepare a delicious ricotta and chocolate cake, we will start by making the dough. In a large bowl, we mix the flour, high-quality cocoa, vanilla, and baking powder. These dry ingredients form the base with a rich and aromatic flavor, essential for our recipe. Once we have a homogeneous mixture, we add the sugar, eggs, and cold butter cut into small pieces. It is important for the butter to be cold to achieve a sandy texture of the dough, which will provide a crispy and savory layer. We gently knead with our hands until the ingredients combine and we obtain a slightly crumbly dough.

Meanwhile, we prepare to bake the cake, so we preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. This step is essential to ensure that the cake bakes evenly and becomes fluffy. In another bowl, we focus on preparing the delicious cream. We mix the ricotta with the sugar, one egg, orange zest, or another preferred flavor, such as almond essence or even a splash of rum for an added touch of refinement. Finally, we add the chocolate cut into small pieces, which will melt slightly during baking, providing a creamy texture and an intense chocolate flavor.

Now that we have both the dough and the cream prepared, we turn our attention to the pan. We take a 26 cm diameter cake pan and line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking. We divide the dough into two equal halves. We place the first half in the pan, pressing gently with our hand to achieve an even base. Then, we add the ricotta filling, being careful to leave one centimeter free at the edges, so the cake does not overflow during baking. We cover the cream with the remaining dough, pressing gently on the edges to seal well.

The cake is placed in the preheated oven and baked for about 30 minutes, or until it turns beautifully golden on top. After baking, it is essential to let the cake cool completely in the pan to stabilize. Once cooled, we can remove it from the pan and, if desired, dust it with powdered sugar for an elegant appearance and a touch of sweetness. This cake keeps perfectly in the refrigerator, making it an ideal dessert for special occasions or simply to treat the family to something nice. Enjoy each slice and savor the intense flavors and varied textures!