Italian Ricotta Cheesecake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between cheesecake and Italian cheesecake? ›

Traditional Italian cheesecake uses ricotta cheese instead of cream cheese. The result is a slightly lighter, more cake-like dessert. The texture may be surprising to cheesecake lovers who haven't tried ricotta based cheesecake before, but the taste appeals to dessert lovers worldwide.

The main difference between what we would consider typical New York American cheesecake and Italian cheesecake is that in Italy, cheesecake is made with ricotta rather than cream cheese. It is also a bit lighter and dryer, more cakelike and less cloying.

Sicilian cheesecake differs from traditional cheesecake in that it is made with ricotta cheese instead of cream cheese. This gives it a lighter, slightly grainy texture compared to the smooth and dense texture of traditional cheesecake.

Ricotta works well within the full spectrum of baked goods, so as long as you're using your imagination, you'll never run out of ideas for putting it to use. The bottom line is: If a baked good calls for cream cheese, then it can be substituted for ricotta.

The only differences I can tell from brief research: Italian uses ricotta for a lighter texture and their cheesecake is less sweet. Chicago is the only of the three to use shortcrust as the bottom crust. The other two use graham cracker.

Sour cream supports the underlying tang of the cream cheese, but, if overdone, it takes over as the dominant flavor. You need a little of each -- cream for texture and sour cream for flavor. With our ingredients settled, we focused in on how to keep the cheesecake from baking up grainy and cracked.

Chicago Cheesecake is known for its firm outside and soft and creamy center, which comes from the extra cream cheese that is added to the batter.

Mascarpone cheese is similar to cream cheese but more rich. And the ricotta creates a light and fluffy texture and offsets the richness. It's the perfect combination of cheeses to elevate your cheesecake. To further level-up this cheesecake, this recipe incorporates a crust made with granola bars!

Traditional, Basque, New York, Vegan, No Bake – There are so many different types of cheesecakes, each with their own unique set of ingredients and methods, but what exactly makes them different?

Description:Creamy vanilla cheesecake baked in a graham crust. Also available in a base and dome format for in-store bakeries (Item #107290)

Why did my Italian cheesecake crack? ›

There are many reasons why your cheesecake cracks and the 4 main reasons are: You are overbeating the batter and introducing too much air, You are overbaking the cheesecake, baking it at the wrong temperature or you are not baking the cheesecake in a water bath. All these issues will cause cracking in your cheesecake.

Don't overbake your cake.

It may crack if it's too dry. Many people overbake their recipes to “play it safe”. The golden rule is if it no longer trembles in the center, it will set firmly in the refrigerator. Tap the pan on the sides and if the center has firmed up like jello, remove the cake from the oven.

Cream cheese: Cream cheese is made with milk and cream, while ricotta is made with just milk. The lower fat content makes the latter cheese slightly less creamy. However, cream cheese can still be substituted for ricotta.

Whenever possible, we recommend using a cheesy alternative for ricotta when cooking, but sour cream and Greek yogurt are both a-okay in a pinch! And they're great in baked goods.

Cheesecake is a classic dessert that can be served for any occasion. There is even a Greek cheesecake recipe that dates all the way back to 5th Century BCE! While there are an endless amount of cheesecake recipes available today, they can be sorted into two easy categories - baked and unbaked cheesecakes.

While many assume cheesecake originated in New York, it dates back much much further! Over 4,000 years ago in the fifth century BC, the ancient Greeks on the island of Samos created the earliest known cheesecake.