Ricotta Cheesecake
This Ricotta Cheesecake is light, creamy, and delicately sweet, made with fresh ricotta, cream cheese, and a hint of orange zest, all nestled in a buttery graham cracker crust and topped with a whipped ricotta cream.
Servings 12 servings
Calories 400kcal
Ingredients
Ricotta
- 2½ cups ricotta cheese 625 grams, store-bought or homemade
Graham Cracker Crust
Cheesecake Batter
- 226 grams cream cheese softened 1 packages of 8 oz.
- 1¼ cup granulated sugar 250 grams
- 2 cups drained ricotta cheese from above
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs room temp
- ½ tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp orange zest
Ricotta Topping
- ½ cup drained ricotta cheese from above
- 2 tbsp cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Drain the Ricotta
- Before starting the crust and the batter, you’ll need to drain the ricotta, specially if using store-bought. You can use my homemade ricotta recipe here.
- You will need 2 cups of the drained ricotta for the cheesecake, and the rest for the topping.
- Weigh the ricotta and put it in a cheese cloth lined fine mesh sieve. Fold the cloth over the ricotta, then place a plate on top with something heavy like a bowl full of water, or a small bag of flour. This will help strain the water. You can even leave this draining overnight. Just make sure the ricotta is nicely covered by the cheesecloth so it doesn’t dry out in the fridge.
- You have to let it drain for at least a couple of hours. It will be worth it.
Graham Cracker Crust
- Prepare the graham cracker crust with the instructions on this page.
Cheesecake Batter
- Grease the exposed sides of the cheesecake pan.
- Beat the cream cheese for 2 minutes with a mixer at medium speed, until creamy.
- Add the granulated sugar to the bowl and beat for another minute. Scrape the bowl.
- Add the drained ricotta and beat for another minute.
- Scrape the bowl and beat for another 30 seconds.
- Add the flour and mix to combine.
- Add the eggs one at a time to the bowl, mixing until incorporated before adding the next one.
- Avoid over mixing once the eggs are added, to prevent cracking of the cheesecake.
- Add the vanilla extract (and or vanilla bean paste), salt, orange zest, and mix briefly.
- Pour the cheesecake batter in the pan, over the baked and cooled crust.
- Wrap the bottom of the pan with a few layers of foil.
- Place the pan in a larger roasting pan, and add hot water to the roasting pan, to form a water bath. This is very important so the cheesecake doesn’t crack.
Baking
- Bake the cheesecake in the pre-heated 325ºF oven for 60 to 75 minutes.
- To check if the cheesecake is done baking, give the pan a little wiggle, it should jiggle slightly in the center, but the edges should look set.
- Turn the oven off, and leave the cheesecake in there for 1 hour.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven, let it cool down. Don’t remove the ring of the pan yet, place the cheesecake in the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours.
- Topping
- Add the remaining drained ricotta (should be around 1/2 cup or a bit less), the powdered sugar, and the vanilla to the bowl of a mixer or to a small bowl.
- Whip for just a few seconds, until creamy and incorporated with the powdered sugar.
To Decorate
- After the cheesecake has been done chilling, remove from the fridge. Remove the ring from around the pan.
- Spread the ricotta topping over the cheesecake with a spatula.
- Decorate with raspberries, strawberries, chocolate chips, or anything else you’d like.
- Slice and serve.
Notes
Storage: You can store the Ricotta Cheesecake in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days, covered in an air tight container. The cheesecake can also be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Make sure to place it in an air tight container. You can also freeze the cheesecake first, then once it’s frozen, wrap it with plastic wrap very tightly and then place in an air tight container. This will extend its freezer shelf life.
Oven Temperature: If using a convection oven, you may have to use a lower baking temperature, around 300ºF instead. And baking time may also vary. Bake until the cheesecake is slightly jiggly in the center, and set around the edges.
Oven thermometer: It’s best to have an oven thermometer to ensure the oven temperature is accurately measured. Often times, ovens are not accurate, and if the oven is off and the actual temperature is too low, the cheesecake can take way longer to bake. And if the temperature tends to be higher than what you actually set it to, the cheesecake can crack because of being baked at too high of a temperature.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 400kcal