Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake Squares Recipes

LEMON RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine wafer crumbs, butter and lemon zest. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 325° for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool., In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, cream, ricotta, sugar, cornstarch and vanilla until smooth. Beat in lemon juice and zest. Add eggs, beat on low speed just until combined. Pour filling into crust. Place pan on a baking sheet., Bake at 325° for 70-80 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Garnish with mint and lemon if desired.

LEMON RICOTTA CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the eggs, ricotta cheese, sugar and lemon zest; set aside. , In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, oil, lemon juice and eggs; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Carefully spoon ricotta mixture on top of cake batter. , Bake at 350° for 60-65 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate overnight. Dust with confectioners' sugar; cut into squares. Refrigerate leftovers.

LIMONCELLO RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Spray a 9 x13 x 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• For the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a medium bowl and mix until moistened. Press the mixture evenly in the prepared pan and 1/4 inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes and set aside to cool.
• For the filling, place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the ricotta and beat for another minute, scraping down the bowl. With the mixer on low, add the limoncello, vanilla, and lemon zest and beat for one minute. With the mixer on medium-low, add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and mix until the batter is smooth. Pour over the crust.
• Place the baking pan in a roasting pan large enough to hold the baking pan completely flat. Place the pan in the oven and carefully pour enough of the hottest tap water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until almost set in the center. (It will still be a little jiggly when you shake the pan gently.) Turn off the heat and leave the cheesecake in the oven in the water bath for 15 minutes to prevent the cheesecake from cracking. Take the baking pan out of the water bath and place on a rack to cool completely. Wrap the entire pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. Sprinkle with extra grated lemon zest, cut in 12 pieces, and serve cold.

LIMONCELLO CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the bottom of a 9 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Finely grind the biscotti in a food processor. Add the melted butter and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, and process until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom (not the sides) of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is golden, about 15 minutes. Cool the crust completely on a cooling rack.
• Blend the ricotta in a clean food processor until smooth. Add the cream cheese and sugar and blend well, stopping the machine occasionally and scraping down the sides of the work bowl. Blend in the limoncello, vanilla, and remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon zest. Add the eggs one at a time, and pulse just until blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the baking pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking pan. Bake until the cheesecake is golden and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour (the cake will become firm when it is cold).
• Transfer the cake to a rack; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days. Cut the cake into squares and serve.
• *Limoncello liqueur can be found at most liquor stores and in the liquor department of some specialty markets. If limoncello liqueur is unavailable at stores near you, use the following recipe to make your own limoncello liqueur.
• Limoncello:
• Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemons in long strips (reserve the lemons for another use). Using a small sharp knife, trim away the white pith from the lemon peels; discard the pith. Place the lemon peels in a 2-quart pitcher. Pour the vodka over the peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep the lemon peels in the vodka for 4 days at room temperature.
• Stir the water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Pour the sugar syrup over the vodka mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.
• Strain the limoncello through a mesh strainer. Discard the peels. Transfer the limoncello to bottles. Seal the bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 month.
• Makes: 7 cups
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Inactive Prep Time: 4 days and 4 hours

LEMON RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9-inch loose-bottom cake pan or springform pan with a round of parchment paper and grease.
• Add pistachios, 1/4 cup sugar, flour, ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the bowl of a 14-cup food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles moist sand. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until crust is golden brown and firm, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool while you prepare the filling. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Wipe out food processor. Add ricotta, cream cheese, lemon zest and juice, remaining 1 cup sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to food processor and process until smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, and pulse until just combined; do not overmix. Pour mixture over crust in prepared pan and smooth top with spatula. Wrap bottom and sides of pan with aluminum foil to insulate.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheesecake is golden and set but the center is still jiggly, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Allow to cool for 1 hour inside the oven with the heat turned off and the oven door cracked open. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack at room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 12 hours and up to 48 hours.
• Run a knife around the perimeter of the cheesecake to loosen from pan. If using a loose-bottom pan, place the pan on a large can or cup and pull downward to drop the pan away from the cheesecake. If using a springform pan, remove the rim by pulling the latch.
• Slice the cheesecake using a sharp knife. Wipe the knife clean and dip in warm water between slices for clean edges when cutting.

LEMON RICOTTA CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Combine ricotta, sugar, eggs and lemon rind; set aside. In another bowl, mix cake mix according to package directions, substituting lemon juice for 1/4 cup of the water called for. Pour batter into greased and floured 13-in.x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan; spoon ricotta mixture carefully on top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 60-65 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool cake. Store in refrigerator 4 hours before serving. Sift confectioners' sugar over top before cutting into squares. Serve chilled; refrigerate leftovers.