This New $3.99 ALDI Find Is So Good—I’m Stocking up on It All Summer Long

If you’re a lemon lover, you won’t want to miss this one.

Have you ever been offered a cheese course after the main meal at a restaurant or dinner party? I love cheese but have never understood the appeal of eating it post-dinner when I am full and satisfied. Sweets, on the other hand? I will always have room for those!

My latest ALDI find, the Emporium Selection Baked Lemon Ricotta, is the exception to this rule. This bright, creamy cheese is so delightfully unique that I can't seem to get enough of it—at any time of the day.

It's fitting that the product came out at a time when ALDI is featuring a range of lemon products, both lemon-flavored foods and lemon-themed lifestyle/home goods. ALDI works with Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) to raise money for childhood cancer research. According to the ALDI website, ALSF is a foundation that "has evolved from a young cancer patient's front yard lemonade stand to a nationwide fundraising movement for childhood cancer." This lemon ricotta is just one of the many lemon-themed ALDI finds that "make it easy to help create a BIG impact," says the company. I am all for that!

What Is Baked Lemon Ricotta?

It's a beautiful mashup between a mild, savory cheese and a sweet lemon dessert. It comes in a small 6.4-ounce round that looks like a mini cheesecake and could be eaten that way, though it's much less sweet and dense than a standard cheesecake.

It has a fresh aroma, giving lemon meringue or lemon shortbread vibes. The texture is thick and lush, with the tiniest granularity that lets you know that ricotta is on the scene. It's also slightly spongy and sliceable but still very easy to spread.

And the flavor is really lovely. Not to harp on the cheesecake reference, but it’s like an ultra-creamy lemon cheesecake coupled up with a soft, fresh ricotta and had a baby. Sweet but not cloying, with a confident lemon presence.

My Favorite Ways to Enjoy ALDI’s Baked Lemon Ricotta (So Far)

Since this is a new-to-me product, I've only been eating slices of it straight up or spread onto Trader Joe's Strawberry & Jalapeno Crisps (another new favorite find!). It would be equally as delicious on ALDI's crisps, specifically the Cranberry Sea Salt ones.

It's really enjoyable to eat simply,  but I already want to explore other ways to use it. For example, tonight, I plan to spread it on grilled sourdough with some honey and fresh mint or berries. And I think my kids would enjoy it on graham crackers, shortbread cookies, or Nilla wafers. Beyond that, it will make an incredible, sweet addition to a charcuterie or breakfast board. I am also intrigued to try it warmed and served over pancakes or waffles or stirred into hot pasta with sliced chicken and fresh basil. It feels quite luxurious, so the $3.99 price tag feels very much worth it.

If lemon isn't your jam, ALDI also carries a chocolate chip version. For me, though, the lemon is transcendent. I am officially stocking up on multiples for all of my summer hosting. If you see it at your local ALDI, pick up at least one (or five) of these dreamy delights and, please, let me know what you're doing with yours!

Read the original article on Simply Recipes.