Ricotta Cheesecake

By lorik

The ricotta cheese must be drained in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, or overnight. To drain the cheese, line a fine-mesh sieve with two layers of paper towels, place the cheese in the sieve, place the sieve over a bowl, and refrigerate.

Ingredients

• Amaretti Cookie Crust:
• 5 ounces amaretti cookies, processed in a food processor to uniformly fine crumbs (1 1/4 cups crumbs)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tablespoon melted butter for greasing pan
• Ricotta Filling:
• 2 pounds ricotta cheese, drained overnight (see note above)
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
• 1/4 cup light rum
• 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
• Grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Variation:
• Ricotta Cheesecake with Coffee and Chocolate
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 lbs. ricotta cheese, drained of excess liquid
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 8 eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1/4 cup espresso or extra strong coffee, cooled
• 1/4 cup coffee liqueur
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (6 oz.)

Preparation

Step 1

1. For the crust: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. In small bowl, combine amaretti crumbs and 4 tablespoons of melted butter and toss with fork until evenly moistened. Brush bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan with most of remaining tablespoon melted butter, reserving small amount of excess melted butter for brushing sides of pan after crust cools. Empty crumbs into springform pan and press evenly into pan bottom (See illustration). Bake until fragrant and beginning to brown around edges, about 13 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 30 minutes. (Do not turn off oven.) Brush sides of springform pan with remaining melted butter.

2. For the filling: While crust cools, place drained ricotta in food processor and process until very smooth, about 1 minute. Add egg yolks, sugar, rum, flour, zest, vanilla, and salt and process until blended, about 1 more minute. Scrape mixture into large bowl.

3. In bowl of standing mixer, beat egg whites at high speed until they hold stiff peaks. Fold whites into ricotta mixture until fully incorporated and pour mixture evenly into cooled crust.

4. Bake cheesecake until top is lightly browned and instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers about 150 degrees, about 1 1/4 hours. (Perimeter of cake should be firm, but center will jiggle slightly. It will solidify further as cake cools.) Transfer pan to wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. Run paring knife between cake and side of springform pan. Cool until barely warm, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Wrap pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cheesecake is cold and set, at least 5 hours or up to 2 days.

5. To unmold cheesecake, remove sides of pan. Let cheesecake stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.

Variation:
Serves 8-10

Preheat the oven to 325degrees

Make a graham cracker crust by mixing togetherthe melted butter with the crumbs, and sugar. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.

Mix together the ricotta, sugar, egg yolks, cream, espresso, coffee liqueur, lemon zest and salt until creamy. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the ricotta mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour onto the prepared crumb crust.

Bake the cake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until just set in the middle. The cake will still seem wobbly, but will be lightly browned and cracked around the edges. Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a rack for 30 minutes. Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 6 hours or overnight before running a sharp knife along the edge of the cake and removing the pan. Cut into wedges to serve.