Ricotta Cheese with Candied Almonds and Berries

A few weeks ago, I was watching an episode of the Barefoot Contessa, and she made this unusual breakfast dish. I had to try it! It was an instant hit and we’ve made it several times since. I spread the ricotta and almonds right onto my toast. No butter needed. Yum!

This is one way to use the homemade ricotta cheese recipe I shared a few days ago. You start this dish with warm ricotta cheese. To the cheese, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 2 tablespoons of honey. Fold it together and set the cheese aside.

The next step is to candy the sliced almonds. Melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter in a sauté pan and add 1/2 cup of sliced almonds and a dash of salt. Stirring constantly, cook the almonds until they just turn golden brown. Do not leave them unattended. They will burn. Add 1/3 cup of real maple syrup and coat the almonds. The mixture should bubble up and caramelize. Set aside.

You can serve this with your favorite toast. (I turned a loaf of our sourdough ciabatta bread into crostini. I cut the bread into thin pieces, brushed them with olive oil, and toasted them in a 400 degree oven for 5-10 minutes until they were golden brown.)

From there, just plate the food. Put a dollop of ricotta in the middle of the plate. Top with almonds. And surround with toast and fruit.

This is absolutely a guest worthy dish. You can serve this as a sophisticated dessert or a light breakfast. Your guests won’t soon forget this meal.

Ricotta Cheese with Candied Almonds and Berries

From the Kitchen of Lynnae Hymas

Serves: 6-8

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 10 min

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 recipe of Homemade Ricotta Cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• Dash of salt
• 1/3 cup real maple syrup
• Fresh mixed berries such as strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, washed
• Your favorite toast or crostini

INSTRUCTIONS:

While your homemade ricotta cheese is still warm, add the vanilla and honey and mix together.  Set aside.

Melt the butter in a small sauté pan.  Add the sliced almonds to the pan and sprinkle with salt.  Stir the almonds until they turn a beautiful golden brown color.  Add the maple syrup and coat the almonds in the syrup.  Remove from heat and set aside.

To plate, put a scoop of ricotta in the center of a plate and top with a spoonful of the almonds. Serve with 1-2 slices of toast and a mixture of your favorite berries.