How to Make Italian Style Cheesecake

Guide Note A cheesecake makes an impressive dessert for a summer dinner party. How to Make Italian Style Cheesecake shows you how to avoid pitfalls and make a beautiful cheesecake every time.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• What You'll Need
• Making Italian Style Cheesecake
• Variations
• Conclusion
• References

Making Italian Style Cheesecake Tips

1. Use whole milk ricotta.
2. Bring all ingredients to room temperature before mixing.
3. Keep your mixer on low speed.
4. Try not to open the oven while the cake bakes.
5. Bake your cheesecake in a water bath.
6. Run a knife around the edges of the cheesecake to prevent cracks while it cools.

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Introduction

• Cheesecakes are a delightfully rich, creamy dessert that make wonderful party dishes in the summer. While New York cheesecakes are made with cream cheese, Italian style cheesecakes contain ricotta. Italian cheesecakes also often contain candied fruit. Cheesecakes must cool thoroughly before being served, so make yours well in advance.¹

What You'll Need

(Creative Commons photo by muriel amaury)

• This recipe yields one 12-inch cheesecake.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds whole milk ricotta cheese
• 2 cups sugar
• 9 eggs
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons candied lemon or orange peel (optional)
• Graham cracker or cookie crumbs to dust springform pan

Equipment

• Electric mixer
• 12-inch springform pan
• Large pan for water bath (springform must sit inside)

Making Italian Style Cheesecake

(Creative Commons photo by Heather)

• A cheesecake may seem like a straightforward dessert, but they can actually be somewhat tricky. Follow the tips below to avoid cracks, spills and other messes.

1. Bring all ingredients to room temperature.²
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. Grease the bottom of a 12-inch springform pan, then sprinkle graham cracker crumbs lightly over sides and bottom.³
4. Beat ricotta on low speed in a large bowl until completely smooth. As you continue to make your cheesecake, beat ingredients as little as possible to avoid cracking in the final cake.¹
5. Whisk together sugar, flour and zests. Gradually beat them into the cheese. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix well.⁴
6. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Again, scrape down the sides and mix everything in well.
7. With your mixer on low speed, mix in the lemon juice, vanilla and heavy cream.⁴
8. Fold in candied fruit, if desired.
9. Pour batter into prepared pan. Tap the pan gently on the counter to help air bubbles escape.
10. Bake the cheesecake in a water bath. Wrap the outside of the springform pan with tinfoil. Set the cheesecake in a pan filled with water before placing both in the oven.⁵
11. Bake at 350° for one hour. Many recipes warn bakers not to open the oven door while a cheesecake is baking.⁶ The center of the cheesecake should still be wiggly when you turn the oven off.²
12. Take the cheesecake out of the oven and run a knife around the outer edge to prevent the sides from sticking to the pan. Put it back in the oven, which should now be off. Leave the cheesecake in the closed oven to cool.⁵ Cool thoroughly before serving.

Variations

• Cheesecake recipes are easy to vary by changing up the crust, flavorings and toppings.

1. Prepare a chocolate almond crust for your cheesecake.⁷
2. Flavor your cheesecake with whiskey, Grand Marnier or another liquor.^{8 9}
3. Feed your chocolate craving with a Double–Chocolate Italian Cheesecake.¹⁰
4. Serve your cheesecake with a raspberry or other fruit topping.¹¹

Conclusion

• With practice and care, you can become a great cheesecake specialist. And even if your cheesecakes always come out cracked or broken, they'll continue to taste good. If you enjoy baking, try out some of Mahalo's other recipe how tos, such as How to Bake Christmas Cookies, How to Make Banana Bread, How to Make Pumpkin Pie and How to Make Souffle.

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References for How to Make Italian Style Cheesecake

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} JoyofBaking.com: New York Style Cheesecake Recipe
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Allrecipes: Perfect Cheesecakes
3. ↑ Allrecipes: Ten Twists On One Great Cheesecake
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Allrecipes: Making Cheesecake Filling
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Allrecipes: Baking Cheesecake, Step–by–Step
6. ↑ Bake Space: My Mother's Famous Real New York Cheesecake
7. ↑ Gourmet: Cherry Cheesecake with Chocolate Almond Crust (July 1997)
8. ↑ Allrecipes: Italian Ricotta Cheesecake
9. ↑ Epicurious: Italian Ricotta Cheesecake (February 26, 2007) 
10. ↑ Bake Space: Double–Chocolate Italian Cheesecake
11. ↑ RecipeZaar: Raspberry Topping for Cheesecake (July 9, 2002)

Italian Style Cheesecake Recipes

• About.com: Neapolitan Ricotta Pie—Torta di Ricotta Napoletana, or Neapolitan Cheesecake 
• Allrecipes: Italian Cheesecake
• Allrecipes: Italian Ricotta Cheesecake
• Boston.com: Sweetness and Light (October 17, 2004)
• Epicurious: Italian Ricotta Cheesecake (February 26, 2007) 
• Every Day with Rachael Ray: Italian Cheesecake (December-January 2007)
• Kraftfoods.com: Classic Italian Cheesecake
• Los Angeles Times: Marino's Ricotta Cheesecake (May 14, 2008)
• RecipeZaar: Italian Cheesecake (August 18, 2008)
• RecipeZaar: Italian (Ricotta) Cheesecake (December 16, 2002)
• Relish: Italian Cheesecake Recipe (July 2008)