Italian Cheesecake Food

RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray the springform pan with cooking spray. Separate the eggs, placing the whites in one of the large bowls and the yolks in the work bowl of a food processor.
• Add the sugar and vanilla to the work bowl of the food processor and process until thick and light yellow, about 1 minute. Add the ricotta and zest and process until smooth, another 30 seconds. Scrape the mixture into the other large bowl.
• Beat the whites on high speed with the mixer until they hold stiff peaks. Fold the whites into the ricotta mixture and scrape into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the spatula.
• Bake until the cake is deep golden brown and the sides begin to pull away from the pan, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Transfer to the rack to let cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day. To serve, release the sides of the springform pan, dust with confectioners' sugar using the strainer, and cut into wedges.

CLASSIC ITALIAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F if using a silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 325°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Mix crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. sugar. Press firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, beat ricotta cheese, 1-1/4 cups sugar and flour in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add whipping cream, vanilla and zest; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing just until blended after each addition. Pour over crust.
• Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

ITALIAN CREAM CHEESE AND RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan.
• Mix the cream cheese and ricotta cheese together in a mixing bowl until well combined. Stir in the sugar, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla, cornstarch, flour, and butter. Add the sour cream last and stir. Pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven 1 hour; turn oven off and leave in oven 1 hour more. Allow to cool completely in refrigerator before serving.

ITALIAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9 inch round springform or regular pan.
• Combine the ricotta, confectioners' sugar and eggs. Blend well. Stir in vanilla, almond extract, rum extract, lemon juice, lemon zest and orange zest. Beat by hand until smooth and creamy. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 40 minutes, until golden. Place on a rack and cool.

A NEW YORKER'S REAL ITALIAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Wrap the outside of a 10-inch springform pan with foil to prevent water from seeping in while baking.
• Mix sugar, crumbs, and melted butter together well to form crust.
• Press this mixture into the bottom of the springform pan and up the sides until you run out.
• Bake crust for about 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool on wire rack while preparing the batter.
• With a mixer, cream together ricotta cheese, cream cheese, flour, and sugar until very smooth.
• Mix in the eggs one at a time, blend well but DO NOT OVER MIX THE BATTER!
• Stir in the sour cream and vanilla by hand.
• Pour mixture into cooled crust.
• Place cheesecake into a large rectangular pan filled with about 1 1/2 inches of hot water.
• Make sure foil is high enough around the springform pan so that no water seeps into it while baking.
• Bake for 90 minutes.
• After 90 minutes, turn oven off but leave cake in oven for another 60 minutes (DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR).
• Carefully remove cake from water pan and remove foil from springform pan.
• Cool on wire rack for 1 hour.
• Cover cake with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator overnight.
• Enjoy!

ITALIAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For the dough: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar together. Scrape down the sides and add the lemon and orange zests. Turn the mixer back on to low speed. Add the milk and egg. Turn the speed to medium and mix until well combined (scrape the sides of the bowl if necessary). Turn the mixer off and add the flour. Carefully turn the mixer on a slow speed and mix just until a dough forms, scraping down the sides as necessary.
• Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface dusted with flour. Knead until it forms a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• For the filling: Combine the ricotta cheese, granulated sugar, custard/pudding, lemon zest, orange zest and semolina flour in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until combined. Add the vanilla orange and blossom water. Add in the whole eggs and egg yolks in 3 batches. Mix on slow speed in between each addition.
• Grease the inside of a 9-inch nonstick springform pan with pan spray. Roll the dough into a circle approximately 14 inches wide. Roll the dough into the pan and press it out into an even layer across the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
• Pour the filling into the pan and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until cheesecake is golden brown, 80 to 90 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before removing from the pan.
• Remove from the pan and put onto a decorative plate or platter. Dust the top with powdered sugar using a small mesh strainer. Decorate the center with fresh cranberries and sprigs of rosemary.

ITALIAN RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set rack in the middle of the oven.
• Butter and flour a 9-by-2-inch springform pan and tap out excess flour. Place on a rimmed baking sheet.
• In a medium bowl, sift sugar and flour.
• In a large bowl, combine ricotta and zest and whisk until smooth. Add sugar and flour mixture and gently mix to combine.
• Add eggs, 1 at a time, and whisk to combine. Add the vanilla and salt.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the center of the oven for about 55 to 60 minutes, until a light golden color. Make sure the center is fairly firm and the point of a sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool completely on a wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator until chilled, at least 2 hours.

ITALIAN (RICOTTA) CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Butter bottom and sides of a 12-inch springform pan.
• Sprinkle bottom and sides of well buttered pan with Graham cracker crumbs.
• In a large bowl, beat drained ricotta until very smooth.
• Gradually add 1 1/2 cups sugar and egg yolks, beating after each addition.
• Beat in flour, lemon rind, and vanilla.
• In a small bowl, beat cream until cream holds its shape, but is not too stiff.
• In a smaller bowl, beat egg whites with remaining sugar until stiff; combine with whipped cream and fold into ricotta mixture.
• Pour mixture into prepared pan.
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• Lower oven temperature to 350°F and bake 1 hour.
• Turn off heat and allow cake to cool in oven with door closed (about 3-4 hours).
• Remove cooled cake from oven, carefully remove sides of pan, store cake (well wrapped) in refrigerator.
• Before serving, lightly sprinkle top of cake with Confectioner's (powdered, 10X) sugar.
• Cake may be served chilled or at room temperature.
• Note: Center of cheese cake will be lower than the sides when it is cooled.
• This is not a defect!
• It is supposed to be this way (makes it easier to hold the topping if you choose to use one).
• VARIATIONS: Add raisins, chopped citron or chopped maraschino cherries to the batter.
• Top cheese cake with crushed sugared strawberries or cherries before serving.
• Cover bottom of crumbed pan with drained, sweetened crushed pineapple, applesauce or sliced apples before adding batter to pan.
• Pie crust pastry may be used instead of Graham crumbs to line pan.

ITALIAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush an 8-inch springform pan with butter on the bottom and sides. Coat the bottom and sides with amaretto crumbs, tapping out the excess. Put the raisins in a small bowl, and pour the rum over them. Let soak while you make the filling.
• Beat the eggs, sugar, and salt in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed until it is foamy and the sugar has dissolved and no longer feels grainy, about 2 minutes. Plop in the ricotta, mascarpone, and citrus zests. Strain into the batter the rum in which the raisins soaked, and mix on medium until smooth and fluffy, about another 2 minutes. Now fold in the raisins and pine nuts with a spatula.
• Put the springform pan on a baking sheet, and pour the batter into the pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake until the edges are set and light golden, but the center is still a bit jiggly, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before removing from pan and serving.

ITALIAN LEMON CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Put a large pot of water on to boil. When it reaches a boiling point, pour it into a casserole dish placed on the bottom rack in the oven, filling the casserole dish almost all the way. (This acts as a makeshift water bath and turns the oven into a "steam room," ensuring your cheesecake won't crack.)
• Crust
• To make the crust, add the graham crackers to a food processor or high-powered blender and pulse until they're processed to resemble a coarse meal.
• Add the butter, brown sugar and salt, and process or mix until combined.
• Press the crust mixture onto the bottom of a springform pan. Set aside.
• Cheesecake Batter
• To make the cheesecake batter, add the cream cheese and ricotta to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl. Beat the cream cheese and ricotta with the paddle attachment of the stand mixer or a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes until smooth. (The ricotta will leave a somewhat grainy texture to the mixture, but you don't want to leave any big lumps.)
• Then, add the granulated sugar and beat for another minute before adding the whipping cream, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla. Mix until the liquid is well incorporated, about 30 seconds.
• Finally, beat in eggs, one at a time, just until combined. When the cheesecake batter is completely mixed together, pour it over the crust in the springform pan.
• Slide the springform pan onto the middle rack of the preheated oven (with the makeshift water bath in place on the bottom rack) and bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until the sides of the cheesecake are set but it still jiggles slightly when nudged in the middle.
• Turn the oven off and prop the oven door open. Allow the cheesecake to cool for about an hour in the oven, then let it cool for about an hour on the counter before refrigerating until chilled, about 2 to 3 hours.
• When the cheesecake is chilled, remove it from the springform pan and dust it all over with the powdered sugar.
• Slice with a hot clean knife and serve!