Man would my grandmother be proud of me for making this Italian Ricotta Cheesecake Recipe with Fresh Figs and Honey. To be honest I’m not sure she would have known the difference, but with all the ricotta in this tasty treat it is definitely a must make! Traditionally in a Roman style cheesecake it would use all ricotta, but we aren’t in Roman times anymore so cream cheese adds some nice richness to this Italian Ricotta Cheesecake Recipe with Fresh Figs and Honey.
This dessert isn’t overly sweet and it’s gluten free thanks to Bob’s Red Mill Almond crust! If you did not know almonds, ricotta, figs and honey go together so perfectly so when you get a bite of all that goodness your taste buds will scream for more! Bob’s Red Mill makes a super fine almond meal which is ideal for baking. The meal uses blanched shell-less almonds that are finely ground and to be honest make a perfect crust.
Simply process together the almond meal, butter and 1 tablespoons of sugar, that’s it. Once the butter becomes the size of rice it’s then time to form it to the bottom of a spring form pan. At this point you can par bake it if you’re looking for a nice crusty crunchy crust. I however don’t do this as I like a soft chewy crust that folds in perfectly with the cheesecake when eating it.
Making the cheesecake batter is extremely easy as well. Start by whipping the cream cheese and sugar together in a standing mixer on high speed until it becomes light and fluffy. Do your best not to eat too much, I know it’s hard J. Before adding in the Ricotta be sure to drain it a little bit as it will have a bit of liquid in the container. Also be sure to use whole milk ricotta! Add it in with the cream cheese and continue beating the tar out of it on high speed for a few more minutes.
Add in 1 egg at a time before finishing with fresh vanilla bean seeds and corn starch. Once you’re here pour the batter over top of the almond crust and transfer it into a 13×9 or a 200 hotel pan like used in the pic below.
Once it’s in the pan put it on the rack in the oven and then pour water around the cheesecake so that it cooks in a water bath. Doing this will make your cake cook evenly as well as ridiculously moist since there will be moisture in the air while baking from the water. Bake it in the oven for 90 to 100 minutes.
Now’s the hard part, waiting. Cool the Italian Ricotta Cheesecake Recipe with Fresh Figs and Honey to room temperature and then chill it completely. This time can be agonizing, but I promise it’ll be worth the wait!
After you’ve scratched your fingernails off and pulled your hair out it’s now time to top off with sliced fresh figs, sliced toasted almonds and a drizzle of honey. This Italian Ricotta Cheesecake Recipe with Fresh Figs and Honey is seriously one of the most balanced tasting desserts you will ever eat, and it just may be your new cheesecake recipe :-).
Italian Ricotta Cheesecake Recipe with Fresh Figs and Honey
- 2 ½ cups of Bob’s Red Mill Superfine Almond Meal
- 1 tablespoons of sugar
- 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- pinch of salt
- 1 pound of cream cheese
- 1 cup of sugar
- 2 pounds of whole milk ricotta cheese
- 5 eggs
- seeds from 1 vanilla bean
- 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
- 1 pound of sliced fresh figs
- ½ cup of sliced toasted almonds
- ¼ cup of honey
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Place the almond meal, sugar, butter and salt in a food processor and process on high until the butter is the size of rice.
- Form the almond meal mixture to the bottom of a 9” spring form pan to make a crust. Set aside.
- In a standing mixer with the whisk attachment on high speed whip the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Next, add in the ricotta and whip for 4 more minutes. Stop and scrape.
- Add in 1 egg at a time until completely mixed in. Stop and scrape.
- Finish by adding in the vanilla bean seeds and cornstarch and mix until combined.
- Pour the batter over top of the crust and transfer the spring form pan to a 13x9 pan.
- Place the pan on the rack in the oven and fill it with water until there is 1” in the pan.
- Bake for 90 to 100 minutes or until the center is slightly loose.
- Cool to room temperature on a rack and then cool completely into the refrigerator.
- Garnish the top of the cheesecake with fresh sliced figs, toasted almonds and honey.