Ingredients
For Cream Puffs:
1/2 cup sweet unsalted butter
1 cup hot water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
For Filling:
1 pound whole milk Ricotta cheese
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels, finely chopped
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Creme de Cacao liqueur
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
confectioners sugar for dusting
whipped cream
12 maraschino cherries
Directions
To Make Cream Puffs:
In a saucepan, bring butter and water to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat and add flour and salt, stirring well.
Continue stirring until mixture pulls away from the sides of pan. Remove from heat.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well before each addition.
Add sugar, lemon zest, and orange zest.
Drop dough, by tablespoon onto a greased sheet pan, spacing the puffs about 2 inches apart.
Bake in a preheated, 375 degrees F oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove from oven.
Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool.
To Make Filling:
Place Ricotta in strainer and allow to drain for about 10 minutes.
Transfer Ricotta to a large mixing bowl, add chopped chocolate, sugar, Creme de Cacao, vanilla, and orange zest.
Mix together thoroughly.
Place filling in a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.
Poke through the top or side of cream puff.
Squeeze filling into puff, continuing with each puff until all the filling has been used.
Dust with confectioners sugar.
Garnish with whipped cream, and top with cherries.
Once filled, consume within one day.
YIELD: 12
Notes
This recipe was taken from Rizzi DeFabo's cookbook, "Cooking with Rizzi" (Crabtree Press, 2010) with the expressed permission of the author, an award-winning Italian-American chef and owner of "Rizzo's Malabar Inn." "Rizzo's Malabar Inn" is located in southwestern Pennsylvania (126 Rizzo Road, Crabtree, Salem Township). The food served at this restaurant, a local landmark dating back to the 1920s, reflects the culinary traditions of Abruzzo and Molise. Rizzi DeFabo notes in his cookbook "There are many variations of this special treat made throughout Italy and the United States for St. Joseph's Day...." Photo: Mary Melfi. |
