June 24, 2020

Italian Cheesecake Recipe

1 Shares

We all love Italian food. Right from pastas to pizzas to lasagnas, we have a special corner for this cuisine.

With the ever-increasing amount of fondness for Italian cuisine, many restaurant owners want their menu to consist of specifically this cuisine.

Right from appetizers to main course to desserts everything consists of Italian flavors and recipes.

If I were to be given an option, I’d joyously pick pizzas as my sole food for the rest of my life. That’s how much I love Italian.

Being a person with a sweet tooth, I share a chemistry with desserts which I guess is what keeps me sane. No matter, whichever restaurant I go whichever cuisine I pick, desserts are something I couldn’t wait for.

I always make sure that I eat less of appetizers and main course to save that extra space in my tummy for desserts.

I once tried Italian cheesecake at an extremely popular bakery in my town.

Since I’ve already had American cheesecakes so many times before, I know how moist and flavorful they are. Besides what else do you want if you have the goodness of cheese as well as cake combined to make you not miss out on anything.

Staring at those pieces of Italian Cheesecakes in the bakery, I was tempted to try and experience the difference between American cheesecakes and Italian ones.

Trust me, if I ever love anything sweet apart from chocolates, it is cheesecake and this one just took my mind by storm. ‘

It was so light, moist, soft and at the same time managed to give out a perfect Italian flavor.

And as you all know, if I like something at a restaurant, I would try making it at home and this cake was no exception.

So, here I am with my recipe for Italian Cheesecake.

What is Italian Cheesecake?

An Italian Cheesecake is lighter than a normal American cheesecake and used grated ricotta cheese instead of cream cheese.

Ricotta is an Italian whey cheese made from sheep, cow, goat, or Italian water buffalo milk whey leftover from the production of other cheeses.

Cheesecake is a sweet dessert consisting of one or more layers with a crust and varied toppings. It is made with cream or soft cheese on a biscuit base.

Simply put together, cheesecake using ricotta cheese as its main ingredient is known as Italian Cheesecake.

How to make Italian Cheesecake?

Preparing this cake is much simpler than any other cake. Just assemble the ingredients and start. You won’t regret the efforts after experiencing the outcome.

Ingredients Required:

For the crust-

1 cup graham crackers or digestive cookie crumbs
3 tbsp melted unsalted butter

For the Filling-

8 oz full-fat cream cheese
540g whole milk ricotta cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 ½ tbsp cornstarch
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 lemon zest, grated

Here are the steps for making a beautiful Italian cheesecake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap the bottom and sides of a springform pan with one large piece of foil and then with another.
Add crumbs and melted butter in a medium-sized bowl and combine thoroughly until moistened.
Press the mixture into a pan with the bottom of a glass to press into even layer. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or until smooth and lump-free.
Add ricotta and sugar and beat until smooth and fully combined.
Next, add eggs one at a time and beat until combined.
Lastly, add cornstarch, vanilla extract, and zest and beat until blended and smooth.
Meanwhile, take out your base from the oven and allow it to cool completely.
Pour the cheese batter over the crust and spread evenly.
Place pan inside a large roasting pan, then pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Place carefully in the oven and bake for 60-70 minutes or until sides of the cheesecake are set but the center is still slightly wobbly
Allow the pan to cool down completely and cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 8 hours to set.
Serve it chilled, the next day.

Classic Italian Cheesecake - My Food and Family

Some Important Tips

Ricotta cheese is watery and must be drained for several hours. For this, place the cheese in a sieve lined with two layers of paper towel and place the sieve over a bowl.

I have added some Cream cheese in this recipe. However, if you want a lighter version of the cake you can omit it. The classic recipe is made of ricotta cheese only.

If you want, you can leave out the crust. Some classic authentic recipes do not use the crust.

Increase the amount of ingredients for a taller cake. However, the baking time will be more.

Add 1 tbsp of Amaretto liquor to the filling for a more Italian taste.

You can store this cheesecake for up to 5 days. Make sure you cover it well and keep it in a refrigerator.

Why should you try this recipe?

If you an Italian cuisine lover just like me, then you should give this Italian cheesecake a try.

Its texture is so light and fluffy that it will melt in a second in your mouth and you would never be satisfied with just a piece.

If you want to surprise your guests with a dessert that is light yet so flavorful then this cake is a must-have.

The way all the flavors along with the crispy crust melt in your mouth is something to drool over.

So give this Delicious Italian Cheesecake a try and let me know your views in the comment section below.

MAKE MORE OF OUR RECIPES: