Must-make Sicilian Ricotta Cheesecake Recipe with Graham Cracher Crust (2024)
by Garlic Girl136 Comments
This past weekend we celebrated my brother’s birthday at a delightful, surprise summer celebration at a private wooded area in Napa Valley. My contribution to the spread was this Sicilian Ricotta Cake. If you are a cheesecake fan, I thinkyou will especially appreciate this Italian version.
It was nice to celebrate Ross, who holds a very special place in my heart as my loving, older brother. As the eldest of the four siblings, he has sort of morphed into the patriarch of the family despite only being a couple years older than me and my other two brothers. Like many oldest siblings, he naturally carries that authoritative, leader kind of character which makes him a perfect and protective big brother. It is also what contributes to him being one of the best pastors and teachers I’ve ever met. Ross also goes by Pastor Ross as senior pastor of Calvary The Rock in Santa Rosa California. His sermons can be accessed online if you ever feel like a refreshing and relevant (for today) look at the bible.
The celebration included family members and close friends from his church who have grown to love Ross as a person, and a pastor. A few people talked about how he has positively impacted their lives, including heart-warming words from his daughter Jordan, who recently discovered in her twenties that she has a rare disease called Kabuki Syndrome. Jordan has had lifelong physical struggles including issues with speech, hearing, muscles and joints – and was relieved to learn there was a reason with this diagnosis. She’s been sharing her discovery, struggles, and even blessings with other in recent years. The girl who struggled with social anxiety, hearing and speech is now becoming a spokesperson for families with Kabuki kids, sharing publicly and even speaking at conferences. Isn’t God amazing?
A Brother’s Love
I can write a book about the love I have for my brother Ross, and my other brothers Darien and Judd, but I’ll share one memory of Ross that goes back 34 years when I was struggling as a single teenage mother. I was living alone, trying to navigate my way around both becoming an adult and being a mother – not an easy feat to accomplish at the same time. Although Ross was only 20 at the time, he had the wisdom and nurturing to assign himself as my “secret pal” who regularly sent me cards with words of encouragement that sometimes included hand-written scripture quotes. I recall one day being completely broke, only to find $20 tucked in a card in my mailbox which was just enough to buy a couple bags of groceries. After some time I learned my secret pal was my very own brother, which confirmed in my heart that he would always play the role of protective brother to me throughout my life. And that is true to this day.
Two nights ago, he stopped what he was doing at a pastor’s conference to take the time to talk me through something I was going through at the time. I thank God for him and can only hope that everyone can find a Ross in their life.
Must-Make Sicilian Ricotta Cheesecake
About the Ricotta Cheesecake? It’s the easiest cheese cake you’ll ever make – and people will love it!
Update: I posted this recipe back in 2014 and have since made a couple minor tweaks. It’s actually become the most popular recipe on my blog and many have shared how much they’ve enjoyed making it (and eating it!).
I hope you try and have the same success that many other readers have!
For graham cracker crust, crush graham crackers in food processor until consistency of bread crumbs; stir with melted butter until mixture holds shape when squeezed. If needed, add a little more melted butter.
Firmly press graham cracker “crust” into bottom and along bottom sides of spring form pan; set aside.
Sift together flour and sugar in small mixing bowl.
In medium bowl, stir together ricotta cheese and orange zest. Slowly fold in flour mixture with spatula until well blended and smooth.
Add eggs, one at a time, continuing to carefully fold with spatula. Stir in vanilla extract.
Pour batter into springform pan and gently smooth top with spatula.
Bake for 55-60 minutes at 350° F until cake is firm all the way to top center. Begin checking at 50 minutes. Cool completely and refrigerate for 2-3 hours to set. Begin checking at 50 minutes.
What is the difference between Italian and regular cheesecake? An Italian cheesecake uses a blend of ricotta and mascarpone cheese, which creates a lighter, airier texture than we're used to for American cheesecake. The ricotta also adds a subtle tang, making the whole dessert a bit more interesting.
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.
Whether it's used in a cheesecake or a Danish, cream cheese brings a rich, decadent quality to sweet treats. But, it isn't the only type that works well in baked goods. Although it might sound unusual, ricotta cheese is an excellent substitute, too.
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.
Ricotta cheesecakes are drier and a bit less creamy, even a little granular. When it comes to ricotta, there's no mass-produced analogue to the bricks of Philadelphia cream cheese that are so ideal for “regular” (and New York-style) cheesecakes.
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?
It should be puffy on the edges but visibly underdone in the center. Around 70-75 min in, you can quickly open the oven door and jiggle the cheesecake gently. It should be firm on the edges but quite jiggly in the center.
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.
Mascarpone: Another Italian cheese, mascarpone makes a great ricotta substitute. However, since mascarpone is more tart and flavorful, you should only use it in dishes with other strong flavors.
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!
Ricotta cheesecake with a shortbread cookie crust, topped with seasonal strawberry sauce. Available in a whole cake (serves 12) and half cake (serves 6).
Pecorino. Made from sheep's milk, pecorino cheese is made throughout Sicily. In fact, it's considered the most widely produced aged cheese product from that part of the world. Its sharp, distinct flavor is perfectly shredded over pasta, pizza, and salad.
Sicily produces three main types of cheese - pecorino, Ragusano, and ricotta. Each of these types have variations as well, often distinguished by how the wheels are treated, and how long they are aged.
New York style cheesecake, classic cheesecake, and no bake cheesecake are the most popular types of cheesecakes, but the best cheesecake flavor is the one that you find irresistible — and that may be different for everyone.
However, there are some types of cheesecake that aren't made using cream cheese. One of these is Italian cheesecake. Traditional Italian cheesecake uses ricotta cheese instead of cream cheese. The result is a slightly lighter, more cake-like dessert.
New York cheesecake uses a larger portion of cream cheese. It is rich and dense. Regular cheesecake uses more cream and has a creamier texture. There is typically a crust made of graham crackers, but sometimes other cookies like shortbread are used.
It is common for people to ask what the difference between a Sicilian pizza and a regular pizza is, which is evident in the pizza texture. A Sicilian pizza is thicker and usually much crispier than a regular pizza. Also, regular pizzas are circular-shaped, similar to Neapolitan pizzas.
Introduction: My name is Tish Haag, I am a excited, delightful, curious, beautiful, agreeable, enchanting, fancy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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