Old-World Ricotta Cheesecake
Description
It’s best to freeze this ricotta cheesecake minus any toppings, as freezing and thawing the toppings can get messy—for one, fresh fruit slices can become mushy when thawed out. Once the cheesecake has thawed overnight in the fridge, add the toppings and serve.
Ingredients
- 1-2/3 cups zwieback, rusk or plain biscotti crumbs
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
- 2 cartons (15 ounces each) ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup half-and-half cream
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Combine zwieback crumbs, sugar and cinnamon; mix in butter until mixture is crumbled. Press onto bottom and 1-1/2 in. up side of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Refrigerate until chilled.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Beat all filling ingredients except eggs until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low until combined. Pour into crust. Place pan on a baking sheet.
- Bake until center is set, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 15 minutes, leaving oven on. Combine topping ingredients; spoon around edge of cheesecake. Carefully spread over filling. Bake 10 minutes longer. Loosen side from pan with a knife; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight, covering when completely cooled. Remove rim from pan. Refrigerate leftovers.
