This past weekend we celebrated my brother’s birthday at a delightful, surprise summer celebration at a private wooded area in Napa Valley. My contribution to the spread was this Sicilian Ricotta Cake. If you are a cheesecake fan, I thinkyou will especially appreciate this Italian version.
It was nice to celebrate Ross, who holds a very special place in my heart as my loving, older brother. As the eldest of the four siblings, he has sort of morphed into the patriarch of the family despite only being a couple years older than me and my other two brothers. Like many oldest siblings, he naturally carries that authoritative, leader kind of character which makes him a perfect and protective big brother. It is also what contributes to him being one of the best pastors and teachers I’ve ever met. Ross also goes by Pastor Ross as senior pastor of Calvary The Rock in Santa Rosa California. His sermons can be accessed online if you ever feel like a refreshing and relevant (for today) look at the bible.
The celebration included family members and close friends from his church who have grown to love Ross as a person, and a pastor. A few people talked about how he has positively impacted their lives, including heart-warming words from his daughter Jordan, who recently discovered in her twenties that she has a rare disease called Kabuki Syndrome. Jordan has had lifelong physical struggles including issues with speech, hearing, muscles and joints – and was relieved to learn there was a reason with this diagnosis. She’s been sharing her discovery, struggles, and even blessings with other in recent years. The girl who struggled with social anxiety, hearing and speech is now becoming a spokesperson for families with Kabuki kids, sharing publicly and even speaking at conferences. Isn’t God amazing?
A Brother’s Love
I can write a book about the love I have for my brother Ross, and my other brothers Darien and Judd, but I’ll share one memory of Ross that goes back 34 years when I was struggling as a single teenage mother. I was living alone, trying to navigate my way around both becoming an adult and being a mother – not an easy feat to accomplish at the same time. Although Ross was only 20 at the time, he had the wisdom and nurturing to assign himself as my “secret pal” who regularly sent me cards with words of encouragement that sometimes included hand-written scripture quotes. I recall one day being completely broke, only to find $20 tucked in a card in my mailbox which was just enough to buy a couple bags of groceries. After some time I learned my secret pal was my very own brother, which confirmed in my heart that he would always play the role of protective brother to me throughout my life. And that is true to this day.
Two nights ago, he stopped what he was doing at a pastor’s conference to take the time to talk me through something I was going through at the time. I thank God for him and can only hope that everyone can find a Ross in their life.
Must-Make Sicilian Ricotta Cheesecake
About the Ricotta Cheesecake? It’s the easiest cheese cake you’ll ever make – and people will love it!
Update: I posted this recipe back in 2014 and have since made a couple minor tweaks. It’s actually become the most popular recipe on my blog and many have shared how much they’ve enjoyed making it (and eating it!).
I hope you try and have the same success that many other readers have!
For graham cracker crust, crush graham crackers in food processor until consistency of bread crumbs; stir with melted butter until mixture holds shape when squeezed. If needed, add a little more melted butter.
Firmly press graham cracker “crust” into bottom and along bottom sides of spring form pan; set aside.
Sift together flour and sugar in small mixing bowl.
In medium bowl, stir together ricotta cheese and orange zest. Slowly fold in flour mixture with spatula until well blended and smooth.
Add eggs, one at a time, continuing to carefully fold with spatula. Stir in vanilla extract.
Pour batter into springform pan and gently smooth top with spatula.
Bake for 55-60 minutes at 350° F until cake is firm all the way to top center. Begin checking at 50 minutes. Cool completely and refrigerate for 2-3 hours to set. Begin checking at 50 minutes.
The main difference between what we would consider typical New York American cheesecake and Italian cheesecake is that in Italy, cheesecake is made with ricotta rather than cream cheese. It is also a bit lighter and dryer, more cakelike and less cloying.
Whether it's used in a cheesecake or a Danish, cream cheese brings a rich, decadent quality to sweet treats. But, it isn't the only type that works well in baked goods. Although it might sound unusual, ricotta cheese is an excellent substitute, too.
Go with speculoos or crisp ginger snaps for a spicy kick that works well with cheesecake or cream pies, vanilla wafers or animal crackers if you want something more subtle, or chocolate wafers or even Oreo cookies for something dark and chocolate-y.
But nothing beats its Italian counterpart–the ricotta cheese-based cheesecake. Lighter in texture, less rich and less sweet than its richer and denser American counterpart, this Sicily-inspired version still has all the decadence and creaminess to satisfy any dessert craving.
Ricotta cheesecakes are drier and a bit less creamy, even a little granular. When it comes to ricotta, there's no mass-produced analogue to the bricks of Philadelphia cream cheese that are so ideal for “regular” (and New York-style) cheesecakes.
The addition of cream gives a velvety, smooth texture, but too much of it and you begin to mask the cream cheese flavor. Sour cream supports the underlying tang of the cream cheese, but, if overdone, it takes over as the dominant flavor. You need a little of each -- cream for texture and sour cream for flavor.
Mascarpone cheese is similar to cream cheese but more rich. And the ricotta creates a light and fluffy texture and offsets the richness. It's the perfect combination of cheeses to elevate your cheesecake. To further level-up this cheesecake, this recipe incorporates a crust made with granola bars!
Ricotta cheese is a good mascarpone cheese substitute in cheesecakes for example. Ricotta is another delicious cheese often used in desserts like this ricotta pie and is lower in fat than mascarpone and cream cheese as it is made solely from milk, and no cream.
The most common complaint—verging on pathological—is a cracked top which, with a typical cream cheese recipe, simply means that the cake has been baked too long, causing the proteins to contract, expelling liquid. There is also a fuss issue. Cheesecakes are most often baked in a water bath.
Mascarpone: Another Italian cheese, mascarpone makes a great ricotta substitute. However, since mascarpone is more tart and flavorful, you should only use it in dishes with other strong flavors.
FAQ: Does Graham Cracker Crust Need to Be Baked? Typically, yes. After shaping into your pan, this crust should be baked, and the amount of time really depends on the recipe you're using, and whether it's a baked or a no-bake filling.
And since they're sold already patted into disposable aluminum pie plates and prebaked, you can skip the blind-baking step usually required to set a homemade graham cracker crust before filling it.
We're talking about a soggy crust, which is a heartbreaking thing; this can happen when water from the water bath seeps into the crevices of the springform pan.
Sicily produces three main types of cheese - pecorino, Ragusano, and ricotta. Each of these types have variations as well, often distinguished by how the wheels are treated, and how long they are aged.
Traditional Italian cheesecake uses ricotta cheese instead of cream cheese. The result is a slightly lighter, more cake-like dessert. The texture may be surprising to cheesecake lovers who haven't tried ricotta based cheesecake before, but the taste appeals to dessert lovers worldwide.
This soft, creamy, white latticino with a delicate flavor reminiscent of a freshly squeezed milk is widely used in cooking, it works great in both savory and sweet dishes.
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