I’ve always loved cannoli filling…but the fried outside? Not so much. Bakeries have to refrigerate this perishable pastry, and the crunchy shell loses all its appeal. So I just make the inside—basically, a whipped ricotta mousse with chopped bittersweet chocolate, toasted pistachios and almonds, and candied orange peel. Lately, I’ve used Seville orange marmalade to sweeten the mousse and eliminated the candied peel. So easy. If you’re treating Mom to a homemade meal on Mother’s Day, here’s her dessert. Or her breakfast in bed. What a luscious way to start the day.

Seek out a top-quality whole-milk ricotta. My preferences are Calabro Hand-Dipped (my Whole Foods usually stocks this) or Bellwether Farms Basket Ricotta. If you’re motivated to make your own ricotta, here’s how, including a video. A grainy low-fat ricotta won’t produce a smooth mousse.

Ricotta Mousse with Bittersweet Chocolate, Pistachios, Almonds and Orange Peel

Serve with strawberries or with crisp lace cookies.

• 2 tablespoons raw shelled pistachios

• 3 tablespoons slivered (not sliced) almonds

• 2 cups (12 to 14 ounces) whole-milk ricotta

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Seville orange marmalade

• ¼ cup chopped bittersweet chocolate

• Chopped candied orange peel, optional

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toast the pistachios and almonds on separate baking sheets until lightly colored and fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes for the pistachios and 8 to 10 minutes for the almonds. Let cool, then combine and chop coarsely.

In a food processor, puree the ricotta and vanilla just until smooth; do not over-beat. Transfer to a large bowl, cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours. Just before serving, stir in the marmalade.

Set aside some of the chopped nuts and chopped chocolate for garnish, then fold the remainder into the ricotta.

Divide among 4 serving dishes. Top with reserved chopped nuts and chocolate and some chopped candied orange, if desired. Serve immediately.

Serves 4