Sweet

Strawberry Ricotta Graham Tartlets

I’m looking forward to moving, because I know for a fact that there will natural light promised in the lease. I also can’t wait to have a yard that doesn’t back up to mean growly dogs that want to eat Elliot.

When I envision my future home, I imagine white walls, a white oven and windows Elliot can see out of without standing on the back of the couch … and preferably a huge tupperware of these mini tarts in the fridge.

These are cheesecake-ish mini tarts … also known as a cookie stacker … also known as delicious. I’m totally down with ricotta being dessert-y. And as you’ve probably noticed, I’m always down with a dessert involving strawberries. Did you know there’s lemon in these? Oh yeah. Zest in the ricotta + juice in the berries.

And I can just say, that I’m glad to have some strawberries leftover? I’d like to put them on my yogurt and ice cream, please. Would that be an ok dinner? When it’s really hot out, is that kind of thing allowed?

Strawberry Ricotta Graham Tartlets
Recipe adapted from Food & Wine via Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

graham cookies –

  • 1 cup + 2 T all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1/4 cup graham flour, or whole wheat if you can’t find graham
  • 3/4 t cinnamon
  • 1/2 t kosher salt
  • pinch of ground cloves
  • 8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 T light brown sugar
  • 2 T granulated sugar
  • 2 T honey
  • 1 1/2 t molasses, you can just use more honey if you don’t want to use molasses

strawberry goodness –

  • 3/4 pound strawberries, thinly sliced
  • 3 T granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 T fresh lemon juice

ricotta mixture –

  • 1 1/4 cups ricotta (10 oz.), fresh if you can find it, or a full-fat store-bought
  • 2 T confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 t finely grated lemon zest

Directions:

  1. Make grahams. In a bowl, whisk both flours with the cinnamon, salt and cloves. Beat the butter, light brown sugar and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar at medium speed on an electric mixer until fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the honey and molasses, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the side of the bowl and beat in the flour mixture at low speed, just until incorporated. Pat the dough into a disk, cover with plastic and refrigerate until firm, about an hour.
  2. Preheat oven to 350ΒΊF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick. Using Β a 1 1/2 inch round cutter (or a larger cutter of your choice) stamp out your bases (about 45 minis). Reroll the dough scraps as necessary. Transfer the grahams to the baking sheets and bake for about 9 minutes (12ish minutes for 3 1/2 inch cookies), or until lightly golden around the edges. Let cool on the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer the grahams to racks to cool completely.
  3. Make toppings. In a bowl, toss the strawberries with 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and lemon juice. Let stand until syrupy, 20 minutes, or overnight. In a medium bowl mix the ricotta, confectioners’ sugar and lemon zest with an electric mixer. Cover both and refrigerate until time to assemble.
  4. Assemble tartlets. Divide ricotta mixture between all the graham bases. Arrange strawberries over the ricotta, drizzle with syrup and serve.

P.S. Just know that with these little (1 1/2 inch) tarts, you might only need half of the ricotta + strawberry mixtures, since so little fits on the teeny 1 1/2 inch cookies. If you make the graham cracker bases a bigger size, you’ll be all set since you can just be so generous with the topping.

Do ahead: The grahams will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Ricotta mixture will last only for a day or two if fresh, or up to a week from packaged ricotta. Strawberry mixture will keep for a few days, but tastes amazing on everything so probably won’t last that long in real life.

Just the tall-drink-of-water of the cookie world.

9 thoughts on “Strawberry Ricotta Graham Tartlets”

  1. When are you moving? I’m in the process right now, it’s really hampering my baking schedule. How do you find time to make such a lovely looking treat?

  2. Well, Dana, I’m moving in a month! So it is in sight, but the work hasn’t begun yet. I think I’m going to start getting rid of things and getting ready this weekend. I’m sure I’ll be super busy with it as the move gets closer!

    I made time for this little number because I was instructed to bring a treat to a baby shower, that wasn’t too sweet + was bite size. So there you go!

  3. These are absolutely adorable! I love that they look like little flowers πŸ™‚

    Best of luck with the move preparations. Natural light is priceless. It makes my whole day better, not to mention what it does for photos πŸ™‚

  4. Thanks Beckie!

    My current flat has some natural light since the trees in the yard got haircuts, but it’s still not so much. I can’t wait to be able to take pictures near windows finally. πŸ™‚

    I agree though, it’ll totally make my day better with all that light.

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