This ricotta cheesecake recipe is inspired by a Martha Stewart recipe. What is enjoyable about this recipe is that it is not your typical cheesecake–it’s a breeze to make, not cloyingly sweet nor does it require the making of a crust. Best of all if you are going to make a batch of ricotta or have already done so recently, this is a great recipe to use what you have left in the fridge. Serve with a few orange supremes or gild the lily and add a dollop of freshly whipped cream.
You will need one round, 9-inch cake or springform pan for this recipe.
Ingredients
- Kalona SuperNatural™ Unsalted Butter at room temperature, for buttering the pan
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling the pan
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 6 eggs (of your choice), separated
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange, preferably organic
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously butter and sugar a 9 inch spring-form pan that is 3-inches deep.
- In a large bowl, using a sturdy wooden spoon, beat the ricotta until smooth. Then mix in the egg yolks, flour, 6 tablespoons of sugar, the zest, and salt.
- Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whisk egg whites on low speed until foamy.
- Raise speed to high, and gradually add remaining 6 tablespoons sugar, whisking until stiff, glossy peaks form. This should take 3 to 4 minutes.
- Gently fold a third of the whites into ricotta mixture using a rubber spatula until just combined. Gently fold in remaining whites until just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until center is firm and top is deep golden brown, about 1 hour. Note that the cake rises above the pan while it cooks so don’t have the oven rack too close to the top of the pan.
- Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake; release sides to remove from pan, and let cool completely and serve.
Recipe used by permission of Bret’s Table.