Tortoni? Easiest Dessert Ever?

Easy and yet elegant. Absolutely delicious with an airy texture. The praises of tortoni are sung loud and often at Cafe Drake HRV. Given the miniscule amount of prep for such a rewarding dessert, you can go all out with presentation; decorate garishly with chocolate or salted caramel drizzle, surround with berries of all colors and sizes, place in a pool of raspberry coulis. The other option is to celebrate the season's austerity by placing the unmolded tortoni, sans garnish, on a plain white plate or saucer for a spot of white-on-white winter chic.

We shouldn't have sat on this recipe for so long but better late than never. Start with a medium-size mixing bowl and add to it 1 cup ricotta cheese, 2 T. honey or maple syrup, 1/2 t. almond extract and a small pinch of cinnamon. Whip with an electric (or rotary) beater for 1 minute or until the ingredients are combined and light and fluffy.

Line a muffin tin with 4 paper liners. (Or, as we did on photo above, use a silicone muffin pan. No paper liners required.) Fill with the whipped cheese. Sprinkle each with 1 t. finely chopped almonds.

Freeze until solid. Unmold and store in freezer, wrapped tightly in aluminum foil or freezer bags. Before serving, let tortoni stand for 10-15 minutes at room temperature.

Note: Our recipe for tortoni results in a barely sweet dessert, veering close to a savory end to the meal. Those with a sweet(er) tooth should increase the amount of honey or maple syrup to 4 or 5 tablespoons.