Although easy to make, this trifle, with deep-red blood oranges, sweet ricotta, and dark chocolate is the perfect dessert for special occasions or a fancy dinner party with friends. Make ahead and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. If you don’t have mini trifle bowls, use 10-ounce old-fashioned cocktail glasses with straight sides.
Blood Orange and Dark Chocolate Trifle
Makes 6 individual trifles.
Prep time 30 minutes. Total time 1 hour 30 minutes.
3 small blood oranges
2 tablespoons Cointreau or Triple Sec liqueur
1 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/4 cup honey or light agave nectar
24 to 30 Dark Chocolate Pirouline cookies (1 10-ounce can)
1 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely grated
1/2 cup heavy cream, chilled
1/2 ounce bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, curled
Using a small, sharp knife, peel the blood oranges and remove all of the white pith from the outside of each orange. Cut each orange into 1/4″ round slices, and cut the rounds into quarters. Put the pieces into a medium-size bowl and add the liqueur. Gently turn the pieces over to coat both sides. Set aside.
In a small bowl, blend the ricotta with honey. Set aside.
Using a serrated knife, gently cut each Pirouline cookie in half. Drain the excess liquid from the oranges into a small bowl, and using a pastry brush, lightly brush all sides of each cookie with the liquid.
In each of the mini trifle bowls, spoon 2 tablespoons of the sweetened ricotta onto the bottom of the bowl. Arrange 6 to 8 cookie halves cut side up, in an upright position, against the edge of the bowl, nestling them in the ricotta, and spacing evenly around the bowl’s inside edge. Top the ricotta filling with a layer of orange pieces. Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons of grated chocolate on top of the oranges. Repeat with a 2-tablespoon layer of ricotta, a layer of orange pieces, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of chocolate. Cover and chill for 1 hour, or up to 4 hours, for flavors to meld.
Chill a deep, small bowl for about 20 minutes. When ready to serve, place cream in chilled bowl. Using an electric mixer or manual rotary beater, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Dollop the cream over the trifles and garnish with a few chocolate curls and one whole Pirouline cookie.