Fourth of July Dessert: “Red, White, & Blue” Ricotta with Lavender Syrup and Berries

Fourth of July is one of our favorite holidays. For us, it’s the kickoff to deep summer, to pool days, barbecues, and get togethers at the lake. We’ve written before about amazing recipes and ideas for this classic American holiday, but today we have a new recipe especially for the Fourth of July.

Growing up, we had a lot of flag cakes on July 4th. This was because it’s my brother’s birthday, so every July 4 saw a rectangular cake dutifully decorated like the American flag. For me, it’s still a great dessert on the 4th, and incredibly nostalgic.

But today we’re featuring a super easy and healthy red, white, and blue dessert that we think your family will love. The key to the dessert is to make the ricotta yourself. It’s sweeter and creamier than if you bought it ready made. If you don’t like lavender, you could substitute honey for the lavender syrup, but we think the floral notes pair perfectly with the fruit. You can check out the video below, or scroll down for the recipe!

You can also add crushed Amaretti cookies on top for texture. You could easily omit this, or add some sliced toasted almonds for a gluten-free version.

Red, White, & Blue Ricotta with Lavender Syrup and Berries

Serves: 4
Prep time: 120 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Cook method: Boil

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts whole milk (not ultra-pasteurized)
• 1/2 cup white vinegar or lemon juice
• Small pinch of salt
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 Tbsp culinary lavender blossoms
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1/2 cup Amaretti cookies (optional)

Instructions:

1. Make a double batch of homemade ricotta as per the instruction here, and let it cool.

2. Make the lavender syrup as per the instructions here and allow to cool. (You will have more than you need for this recipe, simply refrigerate the remainder in a jar and save for other uses.)

3. To assemble the dessert, spoon a quarter cup of ricotta into a bowl. Drizzle with some of the lavender syrup (to taste, but around 1 tablespoon). Arrange the berries in a decorative pattern, then drizzle a bit more syrup.

4. Optional: slightly crush the Amaretti cookies with a rolling pin, and sprinkle over the top to add crunch.

By Peg Kern

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