Ricotta and Chocolate Donuts

Name: Ricotta and Chocolate Donuts
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 68 min
Yield: 9
Ingredients: Cow's milk ricotta cheese ½ cup; Dark chocolate 2 oz; Fresh brewer's yeast 0.3 oz; Type 00 flour 2 ½ cups; Fine salt ½ tsp; Water ¼ cup; Eggs (approximately 1 medium) 2.1 oz; Butter soft 1 ½ tbsp; Sugar ½ cup; Vegetable oil 4 ¼ cups

it es fr de br

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 18 min
Makes: 9 pieces
Cost: Low
Note plus 1 hour and 40 minutes of dough rising

PRESENTATION

Ricotta chocolate donuts, or as folks say in Italy, "ciambelline ricotta e cioccolato," are kinda like a dream come true for anyone who loves Italian pastries. And they have that creamy, slightly sweet flavor of ricotta cheese. Unlike those big, puffy donuts you might know, these are smaller, ring-shaped, and packed with chocolate chips—right in the dough. The combo of ricotta and chocolate is a classic in Italian desserts. Seriously good. Think of a fresh cannoli, but in a handheld treat. People in Italy tweak these recipes all the time—some dust with sugar, others let the tender dough shine. These ricotta chocolate donuts are special. You know, because they feel simple and comforting, with ricotta adding a richness that's never too much.

And here's the thing, many are surprised when they find out these Italian-style homemade donuts are often baked, not fried. Baking makes them lighter, with crispier edges and that golden hue—without all the oil. It's a neat trick Italian families love for a sweet yet not-too-rich craving. And the chocolate chips? They stay intact, giving a chocolate burst in every bite. Perfect with coffee in the afternoon. For real. Or as a treat after dinner. They're not overly sugary, so you get to enjoy those simple, fresh flavors. Some might call these bomboloni or even cannoli donuts, but ciambelline have their own charm. They really do. The texture—it's a mix between a cake and a pastry, each bite with that soft, slightly sweet flavor that makes you wanna grab another. If you are into baked ricotta desserts, this easy donut recipe is one you'll come back to when you crave a taste of Italy right at home. Can't go wrong.

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for 9 small donuts: Cow's milk ricotta cheese ½ cup (125 g); Dark chocolate 2 oz (60 g); Fresh brewer's yeast 0.3 oz (8 g); Type 00 flour 2 ½ cups (300 g); Fine salt ½ tsp (3 g); Water ¼ cup (50 g); Eggs 2.1 oz (60 g) - (approximately 1 medium); Butter 1 ½ tbsp (20 g) - soft; Sugar ½ cup (90 g)

for frying: Vegetable oil 4 ¼ cups (1 l)

Preparation

How to prepare Ricotta and Chocolate Donuts

To prepare the ricotta and chocolate small donuts, start with the dough: put flour, crumbled fresh yeast 1 20 g of sugar taken from the total amount 2, and salt 3 in a stand mixer with a hook attachment

Start working the dough with the hook at medium speed, then slowly pour in the water 4 and once absorbed, add the egg 5 and let it incorporate into the mixture. At this point, add the well-drained ricotta 6

And finally, add the butter one piece at a time, keeping the mixer going 7. Continue working the dough until it is completely smooth and homogeneous, it should cling to the hook and detach from the sides of the bowl 8. Overall, working the dough will take about 25-30 minutes. Once ready, place the dough in a bowl 9, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise for 1 hour in a dry place.

In the meantime, chop the dark chocolate with a knife 10. After the rising time, the dough will have doubled in size 11. Lightly flour the work surface, place the dough on it 12

and gently roll it out with a rolling pin 13, turning it from side to side to obtain a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick, on which you will place the previously chopped chocolate 14. Once the chocolate is added, fold the dough by folding 1/3 of the sheet towards the center 15

now fold the opposite edge 16. Press lightly to adhere the sheet, then cover with a cloth 17 and let the dough rest for about 10 minutes. After the resting time, roll out the dough with the rolling pin 18

until you obtain a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick. At this point, you are ready to make the small donuts; use a 4-inch diameter cookie cutter to cut out disks 19, then use a 1.5-inch cutter to cut out the center to form the donuts 20. Re-kneading the scraps yields 9 small donuts. Place the cut-out donuts on a tray 21,

covered with a cloth 22 and continue to let them rise for half an hour. After the rising time, your small donuts are ready for cooking 23. Heat the seed oil, and when it reaches 340°F, immerse one donut at a time 24 to avoid lowering the oil's temperature (we recommend using a food thermometer to monitor the oil temperature).

Cook the small donuts for about two minutes or until golden on both sides. Once ready, drain them with a slotted spoon 25 and place them on a tray lined with paper towels 26 and sprinkle the surface with the remaining 70 g of sugar while still warm. Enjoy your ricotta and chocolate small donuts immediately 27.

Storage

As with all fried foods, it is recommended to consume the ricotta and chocolate small donuts immediately. You can store leftover donuts covered with plastic wrap for up to one day at room temperature. Freezing after cooking is not recommended.

Advice

The dough can be flavored to taste with cinnamon, citrus zest, vanilla, or anise. Want to try baking them? Place the small donuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, brush the surface with an egg yolk beaten with a tablespoon of milk, and bake in a static oven at 350°F for 20 minutes.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.