December 2013
Leaning against the reddish-orange brick of the elementary school walls, we sat on the pavement conjecturing and chortling. Our recess antics had been interrupted when our friend fled to the nurse in a frenzy of tears, and we suspected a bee was to blame. We weren’t the mean girls of movie and tv fame, so why were we giggling while piecing together the puzzle?
Deductive reasoning put us at the precipice of compassion and the banality of adolescent humor. Evidence pointed to our friend sitting on a bee, meaning the little guy had stung her right in the bum! At least she couldn’t hear the sound of laughter drowning out compassion.
Wrath found me some time later, while playing on my cousins’ swingset. A sharp pain met my reach toward the ladder. What wounded me the most wasn’t the sting, but the occurrence Until that moment, I was a clean slate. That stinger, though I suspect it was from a wasp, tarnished my record, and being the perfectionist I was, I was demoralized.
For such a tiny creature, the bee has the power to create visceral memories, but the humble bumble bee also has the power to create the amber sweetness we love. Like a rose and thorns, we wouldn’t have honey without a few stings along the way.
Falling somewhere between cheesecake and a spread, this honey-glazed baked ricotta is light enough for breakfast, sweet enough for dessert and versatile enough to pair with biscotti, graham crackers or various toppings. It’s also quite fitting for a Brunch By The Bees.
Honey Glazed Baked Ricotta
Ingredients
(Makes 4-6 servings)
2 cups part ricotta cheese
1/3 cup of honey, divided
3 organic eggs
1/2 cup of organic pure cane sugar
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Toasted pecans for garnishing
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375 F. Put a shallow bowl of water on the bottom rack.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the ricotta, eggs, 1/4 cup of honey, sugar, and vanilla until well combined.
Pour mixture into a parchment-lined, 8-inch springform pan and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the top is starting to get solid.
Pour the remaining honey on top in a swirl pattern. Return to the oven for an additional 20-30 minutes or until the top is lightly golden and springs back to the touch.
Let cool. Take a knife and gently run it along the sides of the dish and turn out onto a plate.
Top with toasted pecans.
Bon Appétit!
-Quelcy
