Lemon Ricotta Donuts With A Dipping Sauce

If  you are going to be bad….then be really bad! Just kidding, these are not as ‘bad’ as you might first think.

• Liquid honey for coating the donuts
• 1  1/2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 large lemon, zest only
• 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1  1/2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla
• Crisco oil, to fill a large pot

Prepare a separate dish with a thin layer of honey and set aside. Add the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix really well. Put this batter in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap, for one hour. While waiting for this long hour to pass, make the sauce below.

Now the batter has chilled,. heat the pot of oil to 300 degrees. Using a small metal ice cream scoop, carefully scoop 2 tbsp. of the batter into the boiling oil.  You can place 6-7 donuts at a time. Leave them in the oil for about 4 minutes, turning them over to cook evenly. Using a slotted spoon, remove them from the oil and place in the honey bowl. Swirl the donuts to cover.

Serve these on plates (3 per person) and an individual sauce boat of the dipping sauce on each plate.

Dipping Sauce

• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped.

Bring the cream to a soft boil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped chocolate. Stir with a rubber spatula until combined,  melted and completely smooth . Drizzle a small amount over the donuts that are on the plate and pour some into small sauce boats and serve to your guests.

To be a really cool host…serve with a well chilled Riesling wine.

Ha! You did it again.