Ricotta Cheesecake
Thursday, 4. December 2008, 01:52:17
I confess: I am a cheese-addict.
- I have liked all the cheeses I have already tasted.
- My three most favorite appetizers are:
1 - Mozzarella Bruschetta
2 - "Cheese balls" (these are Brazilian kind of cheese filled deep fried dumplings)
3 - Cheese breads (specially the ones made the Minas Gerais way)
And Of course, this theory is not only valid for savory nibbles, but this love goes all the way of the meal, to the dessert. Just to have an idea, yesterday, I decided to walk from the subway station to my house through a longer, yet more interesting, street. And what isn't my surprise to find a mini-farmers' market there!
After a long and slow walk through its corridors (actually, only two long ones...), I came out from there with a pack of Buffalo Mozzarella balls, a tiny small slice of an Argentinean cheese that looked very much alike Pecorino Cheese, and, my favorite buy, a Cheese Popsicle! Hey, guys, c'mon, don't go "yeeewwww!" yet... It's good, I swear! It's sweet (just like a milky ice cream), but then, you have a slght cheesy aftertaste that just makes the perfect counterpart in the end!
But talking about my favorite cheese foods, I couldn't not mention the Cheesecake.
This lovely cream cheese or ricotta based custard, slightly sweet, topped with the most delicious and scrumptuous fruit sauce...
- I have liked all the cheeses I have already tasted.
- My three most favorite appetizers are:
1 - Mozzarella Bruschetta
2 - "Cheese balls" (these are Brazilian kind of cheese filled deep fried dumplings)
3 - Cheese breads (specially the ones made the Minas Gerais way)
And Of course, this theory is not only valid for savory nibbles, but this love goes all the way of the meal, to the dessert. Just to have an idea, yesterday, I decided to walk from the subway station to my house through a longer, yet more interesting, street. And what isn't my surprise to find a mini-farmers' market there!
After a long and slow walk through its corridors (actually, only two long ones...), I came out from there with a pack of Buffalo Mozzarella balls, a tiny small slice of an Argentinean cheese that looked very much alike Pecorino Cheese, and, my favorite buy, a Cheese Popsicle! Hey, guys, c'mon, don't go "yeeewwww!" yet... It's good, I swear! It's sweet (just like a milky ice cream), but then, you have a slght cheesy aftertaste that just makes the perfect counterpart in the end!
But talking about my favorite cheese foods, I couldn't not mention the Cheesecake.
This lovely cream cheese or ricotta based custard, slightly sweet, topped with the most delicious and scrumptuous fruit sauce...
And being so addicted to cheesecakes, I had to try it at home.
It wasn't exactely a prepared idea, to make this cheesecake. I had about a pound fresh ricotta in my fridge, which I had bought to make some chicken - olive oil spread, but since I was without a food processor, I got to the point I'd have quite some trouble to do that...
Besides, I had bought some fresh blackberries (this is anouther addiction of mine, but i'll leave that to another post.. XD), and wanted to do something with them, while they're still fresh.
So, the final result was just a matter of A + B = Riccota Cheesecake with Blackberry Sauce!
This recipe was based on a version from a book mommy gave me, and it's really a "must have" for all us amateur cooks in Brazil: A Cozinha Maravilhosa de Ofélia (Ofelia's Wonderful Cuisine). Just for international readers to know (And I believe some Brazilians too!), Ofelia was one of the first great popular chefs to have a TV program in Brazil, in 1958! Unfortunately, this culinary jewel has already passed away, but she's left a great legacy, for all of us, homecooks!
Well, in her book, amog the few hundreds of recipes for all occasions, I remembered there should be something related to cheesecake. And with hope in my heart and the book in my hand (How poetic!), there I went, searching for the recipe.
The recipe I found is a very good one, well adapted to the ingredients we find here in Brazil. It's a basic crust-less cheesecake, baked directly in the oven, without the use of bain-marie, which is common in some cheesecakes versions.
*Just as special add-on, there are two kinds of cheesecakes:
- The traditional Italian one, which is made from Ricotta, which turns into a slightly plainer flavor and more crumbly texture (resmbles to a creamy ricotta);
- And the American version, made with Creamcheese, which turns into a richer and creamier version, though it has a slightly stronger accent from the creamcheese.
The final result of this one is a very creamy version, which just doesn't deny its Ricotta origins!
I hope you guys enjoy it!
- Higa
Ricotta Cheesecake
Yelds 8 portions
4 eggs, separated
1 can (400g) Sweet Condensed Milk
1 can (300ml) Light Cream (25% fat)
450g fresh unsalted Ricotta
rind of half a lemon
a pinch of salt
about two drops lemon juice
Pre-heat the oven to 175°C (something around 350°F)
Whip the 4 egg whites until it forms stiff peaks. About halfway of this process, add the pinch of salt and the drops lemon juice. This will help the egg whites to keep their consistency.
Blend the 4 egg yolks, the can of condensed milk and of light cream, and the 450g of ricotta. You could dice the ricotta, just to help things out. Remember to blend it very well. You won't like to find small pieces of ricotta in a cheesecake (by the way, have one thing in mind: Cheesecake is much more than flavor: It's consistency. It MUST feel rich and creamy to the tongue!).
Transfer the ricotta cream to a large bowl, add in the half-lemon rind, and then, fold in the egg whites, using a spatula. Remember to fold only enough to incorporate the whites to the cream. If you do it too much, the cheesecake can become denser.
Pour the mixture into a well grased springform 30cm / 12in round pan, and bake it for 40 minutes.
The cheesecake should rise, and later, desinflate again, though not so much as mine... ¬¬
Allow it to cool for around 30 minutes in the oven, with the door slightly open (use a wooden spoon to keep the slight opening.
Blackberry Sauce
Yelds 2,5 cups
500g ripe blackberries
1 cup Demerara Sugar (you could use crystal sugar, too)
1/2 cup water
5cm / 2in stick cinnamon
Put everything in a saucepan over high heat.Allow it to boil for about 5 minutes, to soften the fruits and allow them to release its colorful juices.
Remove the fruits and leave only the cinnamon and the juice in the saucepan, boiling. Allow it to reduce for nearly 5 minutes. You could remove the foam, as it stacks on the top.
Return one third of the fruits to the juice and sieve the other 2 thirds in a stainless steel mesh, to leave only the seedless purée in the sauce.
Remove the cinnamon and allow it to boil for other 10 minutes.
Allow the sauce to cool, before using, or store it in a glass jar while still hot, to keep it for longer periods. Pour the sauce over the cheesecake and serve it cold!
WIDGETIZE
Bauer1 # 4. December 2008, 13:26
Hey, I know this type to do a Sauce aahhahaha
I like cheese to, someday I'll try one
Anonymous # 4. December 2008, 14:30
THis thing surely truned out pretty. Can't wait to taste it. Soon, very soon. lol!
For now, all I can concentrate on is my stomachache and how none of the naspev ds roms seemed to work on my portable little baby...