Italian Cheesecake with Berries and Cream

My favorite type of cheesecakes are those made with ricotta cheese.  The flavor is so distinctive, rich and creamy yet lighter then a cream cheese cheesecake.  Orange and lemon zests brighten and flavor the creamy ricotta mixture so nicely.  Many recipes call for no crust, but I need a crust, don't you?!!  This sweet and almondy~amaretti cookie crust pairs with it perfectly.  Add some fresh or macerated berries and cream and you have one delicious and decadent dessert!  Or it can be enjoyed simply as it is with no toppings or just the whipped cream.  An added bonus - ricotta cheesecake has more nutritional value then a cream cheese cheesecake: is a good source of calcium and protein and has less calories :)

 

Crust:

1 cup finely crushed amaretti cookies - amaretti cookies can be found in Italian specialty stores

3 1/2 Tbsps butter, melted  

1Tbsp sugar

Ricotta mixture:

4 cups whole milk ricotta cheese   
1 1/4 cups sugar 
1/4 cup flour                 
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tsps pure vanilla extract                  

1 tsp grated lemon zest

1/2 tsp grated orange zest

5 large eggs

Garnishes:

1 pint fresh berries

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 tsps sugar

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix cookie crumbs with butter and sugar and press onto bottom of 9" springform pan.  Bake for 10 minutes, let cool.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat together ricotta cheese, sugar and flour on medium until well blended.  Add whipping cream vanilla and zests, mix well.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing just until blended after each addition, then mix until blended well and smooth.  Pour mixture over crust and bake on middle rack for about 1 hour and 10 minutes until center is almost set.
Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake.  Cool before removing rim of pan.  Refrigerate several hours or overnight. 
Serve with fresh berries or macerate the berries by tossing with 1 Tbps sugar and letting sit for 30 mins to draw out the juices, cover and refrigerate before serving.  Pipe whipped cream around edges of cheesecake.  In a chilled bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat on high cold whipping cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. You can either top the cheesecake with the berries or serve alongside to top each slice with.  I had to serve mine on the side because my daughter loves plain Italian Cheesecake!

 

 

Enjoy!

Strawberry Dream Cake

Everything about this cake is fresh, light and strawberry dreamy ~  sponge cakes layered with a fresh strawberry jam and covered in a fluffy, creamy strawberry frosting.  It's a strawberry dream!  I made this for my niece who is going on a study abroad trip to Costa Rica.  The pretty sugar hibiscus flowers that top the cake are from http://www.sugarcraft.com/  The jam filling can be prepared several days in advance and the cake needs to be layered with the filling the night before so it can chill at least 8 hours. 

For Cake:
1 box Duncan Hines Butter Golden Cake mix
3 large egg yolks at room temperature
4 large egg whites at room temperature
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare 4 - 8" cake pans by spraying bottom and sides generously with baking spray.
Pour cake mix into a large bowl making a well in the center.  Add egg yolks, oil, lemon juice and water into well.  With a metal whisk or hand beater mix until completely blended and smooth.
In a clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment add the 4 egg whites and cream of tartar, beat at medium high speed until soft peaks form.  Gradually add sugar, 1 Tbsp at a time, beating on medium high until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold egg white mixture into flour mixture until blended.  Spoon batter into 4 cake pans distributing evenly.  Bake 12-15 mins, rotating pans halfway through baking, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans for 10 mins, remove from pans and let cool completely.
For Strawberry Jam Filling:
2 cups mashed fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 of a 3 oz package strawberry-flavored gelatin - 1.5 oz  (save the remainder, you will need some for frosting)
Stir together strawberries and sugar in a medium saucepan, let stand 30 minutes.  Bring strawberry mixture to a boil over med-high heat, boil for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in gelatin until dissolved.  Cool completely about 1 hour.  Cover and chill in refrigerator 8 hours.
For Strawberry Frosting:
1 Tbsp strawberry-flavored gelatin
2 Tbsps. boiling water
1 cup cold whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 8 oz container cold sour cream
Stir together gelatin and boiling water in a small bowl, let cool completely about 20 minutes.  Beat whipping cream and gelatin mixture at high speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, until foamy.  Gradually add sugar, beating until medium peaks form.  Mix in sour cream, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring just until blended after each addition. 
To assemble cake:  Spread jam filling between each cake layers leaving a 1/4" border around edges.  Cover cake with saran wrap and chill for 8 hours.  Spread frosting on top and sides of cake, chill 2 hours before serving. 
The pictures shown here are for smaller versions of this cake, I made some minis with same recipe. 
Recipe adapted from Southern Living's Strawberries and Cream Cake

 

Enjoy!