Ricotta and Candied Fruit Semifreddo

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound fresh ricotta, squeezed in cheesecloth if watery
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 5 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/4 cup blanched almonds, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
• 1 lemon, zest julienned
• 1 orange, zest julienned
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate
• 1 1/2 cups strawberries, rinsed and patted dry

Directions

Place the ricotta in a mixing bowl and whip it with an electric mixer or a whisk until smooth.

Place the heavy cream in a mixing bowl and whip it while adding the sugar a little at a time, until well incorporated.

Fold the whipped cream into the ricotta, then add the following ingredients 1 at a time, mixing carefully: almonds, pistachios, lemon zest, orange zest, and chocolate.

Refrigerate until serving, but don't let it sit for more than 1 hour, or it will lose its fluffiness. Add the strawberries just before serving so that they don't "bleed out" and color the dish.