Ingredients:
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 large eggs
• ½ Tablespoon kirsch (cherry brandy)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ Tbsp. baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 12 cups canola oil, for deep-frying
• 20 candied cherries, (preferably amarena; available at Amazon.com)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ⅔ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 ounces (113 g) dark chocolate (preferably 68 percent cacao), coarsely chopped
Method:
To make doughnut holes:
- In a bowl, whisk ricotta, eggs, and kirsch. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold flour mixture into ricotta mixture to form a batter.
- In a separate bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in an 8-quart heavy-bottomed soup pot (the pot should not be more than ⅓ full) over medium heat until it reaches 350°F (176°C) on a deep-fat thermometer.
- Divide batter into 2 batches. Take a spoonful of batter (about 2 teaspoons), stuff a candied cherry in its center, and drop it into hot oil; repeat for the rest of first batch. Fry until golden on all sides, about 5 minutes.
- Remove doughnuts from oil with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Repeat process for second batch. When doughnuts are cool enough to handle yet still hot, roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until well coated.
To make chocolate sauce:
- In a saucepan, combine cream with ⅓ cup water; simmer over medium heat about 5 minutes. Add sugar, cocoa powder, and chocolate. Remove from heat; stir until smooth.
- Transfer doughnut holes to a platter and serve immediately, with ¾ cup chocolate sauce on the side for dipping. Refrigerate extra chocolate sauce (about 1 ¼ cups) for up to 1 week.
http://www.oprah.com/food/Cherry-Ricotta-Doughnut-Holes-with-Chocolate-Sauce