Sunday Slow Baking # 10 - Obsessive Ricotta Cheesecake

This is the tenth week of the Sunday Slow Bakers' exploration of Dolce Italiano by Gina De Palma. Krista came up with the notion that it might be interesting to get a group of folks together to bake and blog each week. This week's recipe was selected by Sandi who felt it would be the perfect dessert to take to celebrate Father's Day with her in-laws; lord knows nothing says I love you like a big ol' cheesecake.

We have had torta di ricotta before both in Italy and here in Canada. This post has a great recipe for one that we made last Labour Day weekend. Ricotta cheesecake is rich, but light at the same time due to the ever-so-slight texture that the cheese gives the cake. Of course, it's not "light" in the sense that it is low in fat or calories, but you'll certainly never mistake it for the super smooth and super dense New York-style cake. If you make this recipe expecting a smooth yet dense 'North American cheesecake' you'll be disappointed with the results.

Torta di Ricotta has quite a different texture than typical cheesecake. Ricotta is more granular than the usual brick of Philadelphia cream cheese, so.. the cheesecake retains much of that textural difference. I must say though, it is still quite creamy, and the flavour is so smooth and light. Also, unlike typical cheesecake, this cake is lighter and fluffier, and no where near as dense. I didn't feel laid out after taking a few bites.

Also, you will find that the top of the cake will crack. This is fine. When the cake cools, the top of the cake will shrink more than the base, so the sides of the cake will sort of angle inward. That's normal too. In the end it will taste so good that you won't worry about appearances.

This recipe calls for candied orange and lemon peel, but if you don't like that, you can just use grated zest. I used orange zest in mine. After it was in the oven I recognized that there was a disconnect between the orange zest nd the almond flavoured Amaretto called for in the recipe. Grand Marnier would have been a better addition.Better yet, lemon zest and lemoncello. YUM

If you're wondering about the title of the recipe . . . De Pamla admits to being obsessed over ricotta cheesecake. She samples it whenever she can and begs friends and family for their recipes, After many tries she perfected a recipe of her own.

Obsessive Ricotta Cheesecake

For the crust-
3/4 cup sliced blanched almonds, toasted and cooled
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
1 large egg yolk
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the filling-
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups(30 ounces) fresh whole-milk ricotta
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon amaretto
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons finely chopped candied orange rind(optional)
2 tablespoons finely chopped candied lemon rind or candied citron(optional)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and position a rack in the middle. Lightly grease a 9" springform pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray, dust it with flour, and tap to knock out the excess.

To make the crust: Place the almonds, flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and process until the nuts are finely chopped. In a small bowl, lightly whisk together the egg yolk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Add the liquids to the nut mixture and pulse several times to moisten and combine the ingredients thoroughly. The mixture should come together easily between your fingers when pinched.

To form the crust, press the mixture onto the bottom and about an inch up the sides of the springform pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes to firm up the crust, then bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is light golden brown. Remove the pan for the oven and allow the crust to cool completely on a wire rack.

To make the filling-In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese with the sugar and salt on medium speed until soft and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the ricotta and beat until the mixture is smooth and light, another 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Beat in the vanilla extract, amaretto, and cornstarch. Fold in the candied fruits, if desired, with the spatula

Pour the filling into the cooled crust, smoothing the top with the spatula. Bake the cheesecake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the center is set; it should be jiggly but not liquid. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

Chill the cooled cheesecake for at least 4 hours before serving; it is best served fully chilled on the following day. To serve, remove the sides of the springform pan and cut the cheesecake into wedges with a long, thin-bladed knife. Any leftover cake should be wrapped in plastic and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

 

Comments

[sandi @ the whistlestop cafe]

I guess I am partial to the creamy 'cream cheese' variety. Big Daddy likes it both ways.
Your's looks simply beautiful.

[Jerry]

Sandi - I'll admit that regular cheesecake is a great thing but I liked this one because it wasn't so heavy. I'm glad to hear that GDady liked it - that is the hallmark of a success. 'You done good'!