Torching a dessert is always a memorable party trick. Pick up a propane blowtorch at a hardware store: It’s more effective than the small kitchen torches (and it looks cooler, too).
MAKES 24 SHORTCAKES
ACTIVE: 30 min
TOTAL: 1 hr
⅓ cup finely chopped strawberries, plus 24 whole small strawberries
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons sugar
1 store-bought angel food cake
1 large pasteurized egg white
¼ cup marshmallow cream, plus more for topping
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt
1 Toss the chopped strawberries, vanilla and 4 tablespoons sugar in a bowl. Set aside until syrupy, about 30 minutes.
2 Trim the tops off the whole strawberries. Cut the angel food cake into ½-inch-thick slices, then use a 1½-inch-round cookie cutter to cut the slices into 24 rounds.
3 Beat the egg white, marshmallow cream, lemon juice, salt and the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar with a mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form (the mixture may separate before coming together), about 5 minutes.
4 Dip 1 side of each cake round about halfway into the strawberry syrup and transfer to a baking sheet, syrup-side up. Spoon some of the chopped berries in the center. Top with a dollop of marshmallow cream.
5 Swirl the tip of each whole strawberry in the meringue. Then press the strawberry, cut-side down, into the marshmallow cream on top of each cake. Toast the meringue with a kitchen torch or broil until golden, rotating as needed. Serve immediately.
Try a fun twist on these old-fashioned candies: Melt 8 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate with 2 teaspoons shortening in the microwave; dip the jellies, then refrigerate until set.
MAKES ABOUT 64 PIECES
ACTIVE: 50 min
TOTAL: 50 min (plus chilling)
2 pounds frozen strawberries or peaches, thawed, or 2½ pounds peeled kiwis plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 cups sugar
5 tablespoons liquid pectin
1 Puree the fruit; strain through a mesh sieve into a wide saucepan. Stir in 2 cups sugar and boil, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer reaches 223°, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 3 minutes.
2 Meanwhile, line an 8-inch-square baking dish with foil. Remove the fruit mixture from the heat and stir in the pectin. Pour into the prepared pan and refrigerate until firm.
3 Put the remaining 1 cup sugar in a shallow dish. Cut the fruit jellies into squares; toss in the sugar.
Hands off the spoon! When you’re making toffee or caramel, you’ll need to stop stirring the sugar once it starts melting: Stirring causes crystallization.
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS
ACTIVE: 30 min
TOTAL: 40 min
2 cups salted roasted mixed nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 1½-inch pieces, plus more for the baking sheet
1½ cups sugar
½ cup golden raisins
1 Combine the nuts, vanilla, cinnamon and cloves in a bowl. Lightly butter a rimmed baking sheet.
2 Heat the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until it just begins to melt. Cook, swirling the pan but not stirring, until most of the sugar has melted, about 10 minutes. Add the butter and cook, swirling the pan, until the mixture is deep amber in color and a candy thermometer registers 300°, about 7 more minutes.
3 Remove from the heat; stir in the nut mixture, then the raisins. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet and spread with a rubber spatula. Let cool completely, then break into pieces.
The secret to great bark is picking toppings that are different in texture: Choose a mix of chewy and crunchy ones.
MAKES ABOUT 1 POUND
ACTIVE: 20 min
TOTAL: 1 hr 20 min
1 pound bittersweet, semisweet or white chocolate (or a combination)
1 cup assorted toppings
1 Line a baking sheet with foil, shiny-side up; smooth out the creases. Chop the chocolate into ½-inch pieces with a large knife. Place all but 1 cup in a microwave-safe bowl. (For swirled bark, put all but ½ cup of each chocolate in 2 separate bowls.)
2 Microwave the chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted, 3 to 5 minutes total. (For swirled bark, microwave each chocolate separately at 15-second intervals.)
3 Immediately add the reserved chopped chocolate to the bowl(s); stir vigorously until melted and shiny. Don’t worry if there are a few small unmelted pieces.
4 Pour the chocolate onto the prepared baking sheet; use a rubber spatula to spread it into a 10-to-12-inch circle, about ¼-inch thick. (For swirled bark, pour the 2 chocolates side by side on the baking sheet; use the spatula to swirl them together.) Press your toppings into the chocolate. Let the bark harden completely at room temperature, about 1 hour. (If the room is warm, you may need to freeze the bark for a few minutes.) Break into pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks.
You can make these truffles in advance: Form the chilled ganache into balls in step 3, then cover and freeze for up to 2 weeks. Let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before uncovering, then roll in the coatings.
MAKES 18 TO 24 pieces
ACTIVE: 40 min
TOTAL: 40 min (plus chilling)
12 ounces good-quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup liquor or liqueur (optional)
Cocoa powder, chopped nuts, crushed cookies, toffee bits or shredded coconut, for coating
1 Make the ganache: Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Combine the cream, butter and salt in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Pour over the chocolate and let sit until completely melted, about 10 minutes. Stir with a rubber spatula or whisk until smooth. (If necessary, microwave in 20-second intervals until the chocolate melts.) Stir in the vanilla, then add the liquor.
2 Stir the ganache until smooth and shiny, then pour into a shallow baking dish and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.
3 Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll tablespoonfuls of the ganache into 18 to 24 balls, then roll in your desired coating. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
Don’t watch the clock—watch your thermometer: Temperature is more important than timing when you’re making fudge.
MAKES ABOUT 1 ½ POUNDS
ACTIVE: 1 hr
TOTAL: 3 hr
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature, plus more for brushing
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, very finely chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla, mint or almond extract
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup half-and-half
2¼ cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Sprinkles, crushed graham crackers and/or mini marshmallows, for topping
1 Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Lightly brush the foil with butter. Lightly brush the bowl of a stand mixer or another large metal bowl with butter. Add 2 tablespoons cut-up butter, the chocolate, extract and salt; set the bowl aside.
2 Heat the half-and-half in a medium pot over medium-high heat until hot but not boiling. Stir in the granulated sugar and corn syrup and bring to a boil, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon; continue to boil, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low; run a pastry brush dipped in warm water along the sides of the pan to dissolve any sugar crystals clinging to the pot. Clip a candy thermometer to the pot. Simmer the mixture, undisturbed, until the thermometer registers 234° to 238°, 20 to 30 minutes, watching the temperature closely (cooking times may vary). This is the “soft-ball stage.” To test for doneness, drop some of the mixture into cold water; you should be able to roll it into a soft ball.
3 Quickly pour the sugar mixture over the chocolate-butter mixture (do not scrape the sides or bottom of the saucepan in case any sugar crystals formed). Clean the candy thermometer, then clip it to the bowl. Let the mixture cool, undisturbed, until it registers 110° to 115°, about 1 hour. (For faster cooling, set the bowl in a larger bowl of cold water.)
4 Brush the paddle attachment or mixer beaters with butter. Beat the mixture on medium speed until just incorporated, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat until the fudge just begins to lose its sheen and hold its shape, 5 to 15 minutes. Do not overmix, or the fudge will become hard. Use a buttered rubber spatula to scrape the fudge into the prepared pan and pat into an even layer; smooth the top.
5 Press one or more toppings into the fudge, if desired (about ¾ cup total). Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour, then score the fudge into small squares with a knife and remove the foil. For the best texture, let sit at least 1 more hour before slicing.
6 Wrap leftover fudge in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature or up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.
To give these caramels as a gift, cut parchment into small squares and wrap each candy individually, twisting the ends. Then pack in a box or tin.
MAKES ABOUT 64 PIECES
ACTIVE: 25 min
TOTAL: 25 minutes (plus cooling)
Vegetable oil, for brushing
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
1¼ cups light corn syrup
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Sea salt, for sprinkling
1 Line an 8-inch-square pan with foil and brush with vegetable oil. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat; add the sugar, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer registers 248°, about 15 minutes.
2 Pour the caramel mixture into the prepared pan, sprinkle with sea salt and let cool. Cut into 1-inch squares.
This recipe is like a science experiment: Baking soda reacts with the rest of the ingredients and the caramel fills up with air bubbles.
MAKES ABOUT 25 PIECES
ACTIVE: 25 min
TOTAL: 25 min (plus setting)
Vegetable oil, for brushing
1½ cups sugar
¼ cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon baking soda
8 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 Brush a rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil. Bring the sugar, corn syrup and ¼ cup water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 300°, 10 to 12 minutes.
2 Carefully stir in the baking soda (the mixture will bubble), then quickly pour onto the prepared baking sheet. Do not spread. Let harden, then break into pieces.
3 Combine the chocolate and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted and smooth. Dip the candy partway in the chocolate, transfer to parchment paper and let set at room temperature. (Do not refrigerate.)
You’ll need a 2½- or 3-inch biscuit cutter for these doughnuts, plus a 1-inch cutter for the middles. Don’t waste the scraps: Fry them up as doughnut holes!
MAKES 12 DOUGHNUTS
ACTIVE: 1 hr 10 min
TOTAL: 3 hr
2 red apples, such as Cortland or McIntosh
2½ cups apple cider
3½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
4 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
3½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1⅔ cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
¼ cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 Core and coarsely chop the apples (do not peel). Combine with 1½ cups of the cider in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cover and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until the apples are tender and the cider is almost completely reduced, about 5 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or in a food processor until smooth. Measure the sauce; you should have 1 cup. (Boil to reduce further, if necessary.) Let cool slightly.
2 Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1½ teaspoons cinnamon, the salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Beat ⅔ cup granulated sugar and the shortening in another bowl with a mixer on medium speed until sandy. Beat in the egg and yolk, then gradually mix in the applesauce, scraping the bowl. Beat in half of the flour mixture, then the buttermilk and vanilla, and then the remaining flour mixture. Mix to make a sticky dough; do not overmix.
3 Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured sheet of parchment and pat into a 7-by-11-inch rectangle, about ½ inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
4 Meanwhile, make the glaze: Simmer the remaining 1 cup cider in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to ¼ cup. Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth and glossy, then set aside. Mix the remaining 1 cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a shallow bowl; set aside for the topping.
5 Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350°. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Cut the chilled dough into 12 rounds, using a floured 2½- or 3-inch biscuit cutter, then cut out the middles with a 1-inch cutter (or use a doughnut cutter). Slip 2 or 3 doughnuts at a time into the oil and fry until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side, adjusting the heat as needed. Transfer to the paper towels to drain.
6 Dip one side of each doughnut in the cider glaze, letting the excess drip off; dip just the glazed side in the cinnamon sugar. Serve warm.
Traditional rainbow cookies can be tricky to make, but these no-bake treats take just 30 minutes. Look for almond paste in tubes or cans in the baking aisle.
MAKES ABOUT 50 PIECES
ACTIVE: 30 min
TOTAL: 30 min (plus chilling)
1 7-ounce tube almond paste
Grated zest of 1 orange
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 11-ounce pound cake, crumbled
½ teaspoon almond extract
Red, yellow and green food colorings
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
1 Combine the almond paste, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla in a food processor; pulse until combined. Add the pound cake and almond extract; pulse until combined.
2 Divide the mixture into 3 equal portions and tint each with food coloring (1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green), kneading in the food coloring. Pat each color into a 5½-inch square and stack the squares on top of one another.
3 Cut the stack into ¾-inch squares. Set a rack on a baking sheet. Combine the chocolate and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted and smooth. Dip the rainbow squares in the chocolate and transfer to the rack; chill until set.
We dressed up these watermelon squares for a party with a splash of sambuca and fresh mint leaves; if you’re making them for kids, just leave out those ingredients.
MAKES 16 TWO-INCH CUBES
ACTIVE: 20 min
TOTAL: 4 hr 20 min
8 cups chopped seedless watermelon
¾ cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1½ tablespoons sambuca or anisette liqueur (optional)
2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin powder (about three ¼-ounce packets)
Cooking spray
About 16 small fresh mint leaves (optional)
1 Puree the watermelon, sugar, lime juice and sambuca in a blender until smooth, working in batches if necessary. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a large liquid measuring cup.
2 Pour 1 cup of the watermelon mixture into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, pour 1 cup of the watermelon mixture into a large bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on top; let stand 1 minute. Pour the hot watermelon mixture into the bowl and stir until the gelatin dissolves. Stir in the remaining watermelon mixture from the measuring cup.
3 Spray an 8-inch-square cake pan with cooking spray, wiping out the excess. Pour in the watermelon mixture. Skim the foam from the surface and refrigerate the gelatin until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Arrange the mint leaves on top in rows, then push them just below the surface. Refrigerate until fully set, at least 4 hours.
4 Unmold the gelatin: Invert onto a cutting board, then re-invert onto another cutting board and cut into squares.
This butter-shortening dough makes super-flaky tarts, but if you’re short on time, just use refrigerated pie dough.
MAKES 5 TARTS
ACTIVE: 55 min
TOTAL: 2 hr (plus chilling)
FOR THE TARTS
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
½ cup grape jelly
1 large egg, beaten
⅓ cup milk
FOR THE GLAZE
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Juice of 2 oranges
2 tablespoons orange liqueur (optional)
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
Grated orange zest, for topping
1 Make the tarts: Pulse the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor until combined. Add the shortening and about one-quarter of the butter and pulse until they disappear into the flour, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining butter and pulse a few times, until the mixture looks like coarse meal with pea-size bits of butter. Add ½ cup ice water and pulse once or twice, until the dough just comes together. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, form into a disk and wrap tightly; refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
2 On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle, about ⅛ inch thick. Cut out ten 4-by-3-inch rectangles using a paring knife or a fluted cutter. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes.
3 Spread 5 of the dough rectangles with a heaping tablespoonful of jelly each, leaving a ½-inch border all around. Brush the edges with the beaten egg, then cover with the remaining 5 dough rectangles. Press firmly to seal, or crimp the edges with a fork. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°.
4 Bake the tarts until flaky and golden, 20 to 25 minutes, brushing with the milk after 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
5 Meanwhile, make the glaze: Bring the granulated sugar, orange juice and liqueur to a simmer in a large skillet over low heat; cook until reduced by half, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Let cool. Brush the glaze on the cool tarts, sprinkle with the orange zest and let set, 5 minutes.
Fried food usually needs to be served immediately, but these taste great at room temperature. Fry them up to 2 hours ahead and let sit, uncovered, until ready to serve.
MAKES ABOUT 30 CHURROS
ACTIVE: 30 min
TOTAL: 1 hr
FOR THE SAUCE
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk
FOR THE CHURROS
1¼ cups whole milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon sugar, plus more for coating
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 Make the sauce: Cook the condensed milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it turns a light caramel color and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, 10 to 15 minutes. Gradually add the coconut milk and whisk until smooth, about 5 minutes; set aside. (You can refrigerate the sauce, covered, up to 2 days.)
2 Make the churros: Bring the milk, butter, sugar, vanilla and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring, until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat to medium low; add the flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture gathers into a glossy ball, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, with a mixer. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a ½-inch star tip.
3 Fill a shallow dish with sugar for coating the churros (about ½ cup). Heat about 2 inches vegetable oil in a wide saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350°. Working in batches of about 6, pipe 3-inch-long segments of batter into the hot oil; use a knife to cut off the segments. Fry, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch. (Return the oil to 350° between batches.) Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain briefly, then roll in the sugar. Serve with the coconut sauce.
This is one of the easiest desserts imaginable for a cookout. We used shortcake shells (look for them in the produce section near the strawberries), but you can also just slice pound cake into rounds.
MAKES 6 CAKES
ACTIVE: 15 min
TOTAL: 30 min
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 pineapple rings
6 maraschino cherries
6 shortcake shells
1 Preheat a grill to medium high. Lay out 6 sheets of nonstick foil. Mound 1½ tablespoons brown sugar and 1 tablespoon butter on each sheet of foil. Top each mound with a pineapple ring, a maraschino cherry and an upside-down shortcake shell. Bring the foil edges together and fold into a packet, crimping to seal.
2 Grill the packets, sugar-side down, until the pineapple is slightly caramelized, about 12 minutes. Open the packets and carefully flip the cakes so the pineapple is on top.
Butter your hands before you shape the popcorn balls so they won’t stick. You’ll need to work quickly, though: The mixture hardens as it cools.
MAKES 12 BALLS
ACTIVE: 25 min
TOTAL: 25 min
2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
¼ cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for forming
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup mini marshmallows
½ teaspoon almond extract
Pinch of salt
12 cups popcorn
1 Preheat the oven to 375°. Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and bake until golden, about 6 minutes.
2 Bring the corn syrup, butter, confectioners’ sugar, mini marshmallows and 1 tablespoon water to a boil in a large pot over medium heat, stirring. Add the almond extract and salt.
3 Remove the pot from the heat. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the popcorn until coated. Butter your hands, then shape the popcorn mixture into twelve 3-inch balls and roll in the coconut. Let cool on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Assuming you’re sitting on a cereal surplus like most families, try turning it into candy! We used a mix of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Kix and Cheerios.
MAKES 15 TO 20 PIECES
ACTIVE: 15 min
TOTAL: 15 min
Vegetable oil, for brushing
1 cup sugar
1 cup cereal (any kind)
1 Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush with vegetable oil. Combine the sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook, swirling the pan but not stirring, until amber, 6 to 7 minutes.
2 Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1 cup cereal. Immediately pour onto the prepared baking sheet and spread with a rubber spatula. Let cool completely, then break into pieces.
Fruit leather isn’t just for kids! Make a grown-up version by adding 1½ teaspoons grated ginger to the fruit mixture at the end of step 2.
MAKES 6 TO 8 PIECES
ACTIVE: 45 min
TOTAL: 3 hr 45 min (plus cooling)
1¼ pounds chopped fruit (such as peaches, plums, strawberries, bananas or apples, peeled if necessary)
¾ cup sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 Preheat the oven to 200°. Combine the fruit and sugar in a blender. Add the lemon juice to taste (use 2 tablespoons for apples or bananas) and puree until smooth.
2 Transfer the pureed fruit to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally at first and then more often toward the end, until most of the liquid evaporates and the mixture is very thick, 35 to 45 minutes. Be careful: The mixture may splatter.
3 Line a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with a silicone mat or nonstick foil. Use an offset spatula to spread the fruit on the mat or foil into a thin layer. Bake until barely tacky, 3 hours to 3 hours, 30 minutes.
4 Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and let the fruit leather cool completely. Peel off of the mat or foil. If the leather is still moist on the underside, return it to the oven, moist-side up, until dry, about 20 more minutes. Lay the leather, smooth-side down, on a sheet of wax paper and use kitchen shears to cut it into strips on the paper. Roll up the strips and store in resealable plastic bags for up to 1 week.
These will last for a few hours in the refrigerator, so fill them before dinner, cover and chill, then dust them with confectioners’ sugar right before serving.
MAKES 6
ACTIVE: 15 min
TOTAL: 45 min (plus chilling)
1¼ cups ricotta cheese
¼ cup cream cheese, at room temperature
⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
⅓ cup finely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (about 2 ounces)
6 sugar cones
2 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios
1 Put the ricotta in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Refrigerate 30 minutes to drain.
2 Transfer the ricotta to a large bowl. Add the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract and orange zest and beat with a mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute. Fold in 3 tablespoons chopped chocolate. Cover and refrigerate until thick and cold, at least 1 hour.
3 Transfer the ricotta mixture to a resealable plastic bag. Snip off a corner and pipe the mixture into the cones. Gently press the remaining chocolate and the pistachios into the ricotta mixture. Dust the cones with confectioners’ sugar.
