Best Ricotta Cheesecake The Right Martha Stewart Recipes

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.

NO-BAKE BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE FOR A CROWD

Steps:

• Pulse cookies in a food processor until finely ground. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and butter; pulse until all crumbs are moist (you should have about 3 1/2 cups). Press mixture into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan; refrigerate while making filling.
• Blend ricotta, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, zest, and 3 tablespoons lemon juice in clean food processor until very smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Beat cream on medium-high speed to stiff peaks, then fold into ricotta mixture
• Dollop 2 1/2 cups cream mixture over crust; spread evenly to cover with an offset spatula. Top with 2 cups berries. Dollop with remaining cream mixture; spread to cover berries. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
• In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine 1 1/2 cups blueberries with 2 tablespoons water and remaining 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until blueberries begin to burst, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water; stir into blueberry mixture. Bring to a boil, then cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 more cup berries; let cool completely. Spoon berry mixture over chilled cake. Garnish with remaining 1/2 cup berries and mint leaves. (Leftovers can be refrigerated, wrapped in plastic, up to 2 days.)

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.

FRESH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Combine milk, cream, and salt in a 4- to 5-quart pot, and warm mixture over medium-high heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to prevent scorching, until mixture registers 195 degrees on a candy thermometer. It should take about 15 minutes.
• Add lemon juice, gently stirring until just combined. Remove pot from heat and let stand 5 minutes. The combination of the acid and the residual heat in the mixture will cause it to coagulate, or curdle -- separating into a soft mass (curds) and a cloudy liquid (whey).
• After lining a mesh colander with a triple layer of cheesecloth and placing it inside a deeper, slightly larger bowl, gently pour curds and whey into colander. Let mixture stand, pouring off whey occasionally, until most of whey has drained from still-wet curds, 20 minutes.
• Gather up ricotta in cheesecloth and turn it out into a bowl. Serve within a few hours, or refrigerate up to 4 days. For a denser ricotta, which can be preferable for baking, hang it to drain for another hour. Repurpose whey or discard it.