Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake

Photo by Quite Curious

Cheesecake just got exciting. The texture of this cheesecake is light and fluffy, yet rich, like a cheesecake should be. It’s creamy, but tangy. Sweet, but not too sweet. Better than the regular old cheesecake? You bet.

Ingredients

For the crust:
1 1/4 cups graham crackers
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
2 pounds good-quality ricotta cheese, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons packed lemon zest, from about 2 medium lemons
1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the topping:
1/2 cup lemon curd
1/3 cup white wine or vodka

Directions

For the crust:
Heat the oven to 350ºF and arrange a rack in the middle. Line the bottom of a springform pan with parchment paper.

Place cookie crumbs and melted butter in a medium bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. Place crumb mixture in the pan and, using a measuring cup, press evenly into the bottom. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Cool completely on a wire rack.

For the filling:
Place ricotta in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Add sugar and flour and pulse until well incorporated, about 10 (1-second) pulses, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the motor running, add eggs and egg yolks one at a time until well incorporated. Add vanilla, lemon zest, and salt and blend until just incorporated. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake until the center of the cheesecake is set and the edges are golden brown, about 1 hour. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.

For the topping:
Place lemon curd and white wine in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, simmer, and reduce by 1/2, about 10 to 15 minutes. Cool slightly (about 5 minutes) and pour over the cooled cake. Let set before cutting, at least 15 minutes.