Black Bottom Ricotta Cheese Pie

A great ending to a not so heavy Italian dinner.

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1  graham cracker crust (store-bought or homemade, 10 inches)

• Black Bottom Coating

• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1  tablespoon light corn syrup or 1  tablespoon dark corn syrup
• 3⁄4 cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips

• Filling

• 1 1⁄2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese or 1 1⁄2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
• 2⁄3 cup sugar
• 3  large eggs
• 1⁄4 cup heavy cream or 1⁄4 cup  light cream
• 1  teaspoon  grated lemon peel
• 1  teaspoon  grated orange zest
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  almond extract
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Refrigerate crust until ready to use.
2. In the top of a double-boiler set over, not in, barely simmering water, combine the butter, corn syrup, and chocolate chips.
3. Let sit until the chocolate melts, 5-6 minutes, then whisk to smooth.
4. Remove the insert and scrape the mixture into the chilled pie shell; smooth it over the bottom and most of the way up the side of the shell; refrigerate while you make the filling.
5. Preheat oven to 350°.
6. Use an electric mixer to beat ricotta, sugar, and eggs together in a big bowl until evenly mixed.
7. Add in cream, zests, extracts, and salt; beat until blended.
8. Slowly pour the filling into the chocolate-lined shell.
9. Place pie on center oven rack; bake 30 minutes, then rotate pie 180°.
10. Bake about 15 minutes, until the center is set (no longer soupy).
11. When done, the edge of the filling will be golden brown and will likely have risen slightly.
12. Transfer pie to a wire rack and let cool.
13. Serve barely warm or at room temperature, or cover loosely with tented foil and refrigerate until ready to serve.