Italian Ricotta Cheesecake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between cheesecake and Italian cheesecake? ›

Traditional Italian cheesecake uses ricotta cheese instead of cream cheese. The result is a slightly lighter, more cake-like dessert. The texture may be surprising to cheesecake lovers who haven't tried ricotta based cheesecake before, but the taste appeals to dessert lovers worldwide.

But it will work as an effective, low-fat substitute for cream cheese with a bit of manipulation. Simply blend the ricotta in a blender or food processor until smooth, add a bit of lemon juice to mimic the tang of cream cheese, and use in any baking or cooking project.

The main difference between what we would consider typical New York American cheesecake and Italian cheesecake is that in Italy, cheesecake is made with ricotta rather than cream cheese. It is also a bit lighter and dryer, more cakelike and less cloying.

As a cheesecake is set using eggs, it needs a gentle heat and a water bath can help to provide this. If the eggs overcook they turn grainy, hence the texture, and also the proteins contract and force out moisture, which is why the cheesecake may have some liquid seeping out.

The only differences I can tell from brief research: Italian uses ricotta for a lighter texture and their cheesecake is less sweet. Chicago is the only of the three to use shortcrust as the bottom crust. The other two use graham cracker.

I love the light texture of a good ricotta cheesecake but by adding mascarpone to the mixture, the cheesecake becomes creamier while remaining very light. I made this light cheesecake yesterday for our Easter dessert and really was pleased how it turned out. It was moist, light, with just a hint of lemon flavor.

Tastewise, possibly, but texture wise, ricotta is more grainy while mascarpone is closer in texture to cream cheese. Depends on what your use it. If you want to mimic the taste, then I would go for ricotta, but if you want to mimic the texture, then I would use cottage.

Compared to most cheeses, ricotta is a healthier choice because it contains less salt and fat - 10 per cent fat, of which 6 per cent is saturated.

Sour cream supports the underlying tang of the cream cheese, but, if overdone, it takes over as the dominant flavor. You need a little of each -- cream for texture and sour cream for flavor. With our ingredients settled, we focused in on how to keep the cheesecake from baking up grainy and cracked.

What is Chicago cheesecake? ›

Chicago Cheesecake is known for its firm outside and soft and creamy center, which comes from the extra cream cheese that is added to the batter.

Description:Creamy vanilla cheesecake baked in a graham crust. Also available in a base and dome format for in-store bakeries (Item #107290)

Add the ricotta, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste to the mixer bowl and whip on medium-low speed until the cheese starts to look broken up and smoothed out. Add the cream back in and whip on medium-high for a few seconds, or until you have stiff peaks and a fluffy mound of cheesy deliciousness.

Why did my ricotta cake sink? This is most likely the result of too much liquid in too small of a pan. This recipe was developed using a 9-inch (23 cm) pan. If you need to use a small pan, I recommend dividing the batter between two cake pans.

Cheesecake can split or curdle for a few reasons – often it's down to the temperature of ingredients. When making cheesecakes (particularly no-bake cheesecakes) the soft cream cheese MUST be full fat, but it should also be at room temperature. However, the double cream should still be cold.

Cheesecake is a classic dessert that can be served for any occasion. There is even a Greek cheesecake recipe that dates all the way back to 5th Century BCE! While there are an endless amount of cheesecake recipes available today, they can be sorted into two easy categories - baked and unbaked cheesecakes.

Traditional, Basque, New York, Vegan, No Bake – There are so many different types of cheesecakes, each with their own unique set of ingredients and methods, but what exactly makes them different?