Deconstructed Italian Cheesecake Recipes

CLASSIC ITALIAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F if using a silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 325°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Mix crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. sugar. Press firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, beat ricotta cheese, 1-1/4 cups sugar and flour in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add whipping cream, vanilla and zest; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing just until blended after each addition. Pour over crust.
• Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

ITALIAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9 inch round springform or regular pan.
• Combine the ricotta, confectioners' sugar and eggs. Blend well. Stir in vanilla, almond extract, rum extract, lemon juice, lemon zest and orange zest. Beat by hand until smooth and creamy. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 40 minutes, until golden. Place on a rack and cool.

A NEW YORKER'S REAL ITALIAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Wrap the outside of a 10-inch springform pan with foil to prevent water from seeping in while baking.
• Mix sugar, crumbs, and melted butter together well to form crust.
• Press this mixture into the bottom of the springform pan and up the sides until you run out.
• Bake crust for about 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool on wire rack while preparing the batter.
• With a mixer, cream together ricotta cheese, cream cheese, flour, and sugar until very smooth.
• Mix in the eggs one at a time, blend well but DO NOT OVER MIX THE BATTER!
• Stir in the sour cream and vanilla by hand.
• Pour mixture into cooled crust.
• Place cheesecake into a large rectangular pan filled with about 1 1/2 inches of hot water.
• Make sure foil is high enough around the springform pan so that no water seeps into it while baking.
• Bake for 90 minutes.
• After 90 minutes, turn oven off but leave cake in oven for another 60 minutes (DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR).
• Carefully remove cake from water pan and remove foil from springform pan.
• Cool on wire rack for 1 hour.
• Cover cake with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator overnight.
• Enjoy!

DECONSTRUCTED ITALIAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Mix ricotta cheese, sunflower seeds, currants and honey in a bowl. Divide among 4 dessert dishes.

ITALIAN CREAM CHEESE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 3 9x1.5-inch cake pans.
• Beat margarine, shortening, and white sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; add egg yolks one at a time, thoroughly beating each yolk into the butter mixture before adding the next.
• Mix flour and baking soda together in a bowl; alternately stir portions of flour mixture and buttermilk into the butter mixture, mixing until just incorporated into a cake batter. Stir 1 cup nuts, coconut, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into the batter.
• Beat egg whites in a glass or metal bowl until soft peaks form. Lift your beater or whisk straight up: the egg whites will form soft mounds rather than a sharp peak. Fold egg whites into the batter; pour into prepared pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Beat cream cheese and butter together in a bowl until smooth. Beat confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into the cream cheese mixture until smooth; spread over completely cooled cakes; garnish with 1/4 cup nuts.

DECONSTRUCTED STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Cohere the graham cracker crumbs and butter into a dampened sand.
• In a bowl, cream together the cheese, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice. In a larger bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the cheese mixture into the whipped cream until combined.
• To plate, start with a portion of the cheesecake cream, smearing it with a spatula. Next, decorously arrange the fresh berries and dust with the graham cracker sand and crushed freeze-dried strawberries. For a temperature contrast, finish with a scoop or two of the sorbet or ice cream.

DECONSTRUCTED CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl mixer until blended. Stir in COOL WHIP and vanilla.
• Spread 1 Tbsp. of the cream cheese mixture onto each graham square just before serving.
• Top each cracker with caramel sauce and nuts.