While I've learned that pretty much every ingredient in baking needs to be room temp, I've realized something else, that I really really don't like planning ahead. I mean, I don't mind having to leave eggs or butter or cream cheese out on the counter for thirty minutes before starting to bake, but I really don't like things that need to be done hours or days ahead--something that's irritated me about pretty much all of the cheesecakes I've done.
Most cheesecakes want to be refrigerated for an hour or overnight after baking to allow the flavors to intensify and blend. I get this and do this, but ricotta cheesecake is a little more miss'ish. The ricotta needed to be drained 1-2 hours up to overnight. This was irritating and I think I found a way around it.
The traditional recipe says either put the ricotta in a fine wire strainer or cheesecloth and suspend it over a bowl. I did and left it in the fridge over night--it didn't wind up draining much. This could possibly be due to the fact that my strainer is small, so to remedy the wet ricotta, I took the ball o cheese, wrapped it in cheesecloth and squeezed the liquid out. It worked very well (and made the ricotta look so cool) and I think I'll be doing the same when I make the recipe again.
Besides draining the ricotta, this was simple as cheesecakes go. First, wrap the pans in foil to get them ready for their baths.
Prepare the dry for the crust: graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.
Mix, press into pan and refrigerate.
Cream the cream cheese. Add ricotta and sugar.
Add cornstarch, then, eggs one at a time. Followed by vanilla and lemon or orange zest. I used orange zest.
Ta da!
Pour into crust. Place pan in water bath...
Bake at 350 for an hour and 15ish. Take out when top is browned and center wiggles slightly.
I brought it into work and discussed it with a few faculty members who'd heard that ricotta cheesecakes were traditionally Easter desserts. My knowledge of ricotta in Easter desserts is that Cassata is for Easter. Cassata has two forms, the mainland Italian form is a white cake layered with ricotta cheesecake containing candied fruits and chocolate. The Sicilian form that I grew up with is an actual ricotta cheesecake with cherries or candied fruits and chocolate. I recommend the ricotta cheesecake as a nice change in pace from the traditional New York cheesecake- it's texture is more complex and less dense. And I'm now a huge proponent of water baths--no cracks to be seen.
So easy to make and very tasty!
Next week we're onto the complex and intriguing Boston Cream Pie. Happy Baking.
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