Description
Creamy mascarpone and ricotta get folded with whipped cream and mini chocolate chips, all set in a buttery vanilla-wafer crust — a chilled, sliceable dessert that tastes like cannoli in pie form.
Ingredients
Crust
- 2¼ cups vanilla wafer crumbs (about 60 wafers) — graham cracker crumbs work as a substitute
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 1 cup mascarpone (one 8-oz container)
- ½ cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2–3 tsp lemon zest (zest of 1 lemon)
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1⅓ cups mini chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
Make the crust
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Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate.
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In a mixing bowl, combine the vanilla wafer crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter until the mixture holds together.
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Press the crumb mix firmly across the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie plate (a flat glass helps pack it in).
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Bake the crust about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Prepare the filling
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In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone with the powdered sugar until silky and lump-free (about 2–3 minutes).
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Stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, lemon zest, and ricotta until evenly mixed.
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In a separate chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks (2–3 minutes on medium speed).
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Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the mascarpone-ricotta mixture to loosen it, then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until the mixture is uniform.
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Fold about ⅔ cup of the mini chocolate chips into the filling.
Assemble & chill
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Spoon the filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top. Scatter the remaining chocolate chips over the surface.
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Cover the pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm — at least 4 hours, but overnight is best for clean slices.
Serve cold. Enjoy within a few days for best texture.