Chocolate Ricotta Icebox Cake

Servings: 10

Notes:  I love this.  I found it in the Everyday Cooking Magazine
Preparation Time: 6 hours 30 minutes


Ingredients:
14 ounces semisweet chocolate squares, do not use chips
30 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese, bring to room temperature
3/4 cup heavy cream
9 ounces chocolate wafer cookies, about 44 cookies
nonstick spray

Instructions:

1. Prepare pan; remove sides from a 9-inch round spring form pan.  Place a sheet of waxed paper over the bottom, leaving an overhang; lock sides onto bottom, firmly securing paper.  Spray inside of pan with cooking spray; line sides with a strip of waxed paper 28 inches long and 4 inches wide.

2. Make chocolate-ricotta mixture:  Break 12 ounces of chocolate into pieces.  Place in a heatproof medium bowl set over, not in, a pan of simmering water.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until chocolate has melted 8 to 10 minutes.

3. In  a food processor (this really is the best way) bled ricotta until very smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down side of bowl.  Add warm chocolate (slowly) and blend until smooth.  In a large bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form.  With a rubber spatula gently fold into chocolate-ricotta mixture.  

4. Assemble the cake:  Arrange half the cookies in an overlapping pattern to cover bottom of the pan.  Spoon half the chocolate-ricotta mixture on top of cookies; top with remaining chocolate-ricotta mixture, and smooth top.  Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 2 days. (it won't last that long - it will be eaten before 2 days ever rolls around)

5. Before serving, release side of pan and remove waxed paper from sides.  Using bottom piece of waxed paper, pull cake onto platter; with a metal spatula, lift cake and remove waxed paper.  Using a vegetable peeler shave remaining 2 ounces over top of cake.  With a knife dipped in hot water, cut cake into 10 slices (wipe off knife and dip in  hot water after each slice.)