For Rich And Light Cheesecakes, Reach For This Creamy Ingredient

Most cheesecake recipes, including our very own Grandma Malva's cheesecake and Miss Maxwell's cheesecake (you'll have to click the links to learn the identities of the eponyms), have cream cheese as a main ingredient. Some recipes, however, will include ricotta, either as a supplement to the cream cheese or replacing it altogether. Laura Kanya, who works as a research and development chef with baking supply company Ann Clark Ltd., explained that ricotta can be used to change up the texture of a cheesecake.

"It might make it slightly richer since it does have a higher fat content," Kanya explained about making the swap from cream cheese to whole milk ricotta, a fresh cheese with a high moisture content. She personally likes using BelGiososo and Organic Valley brands, and advised: "I would use a whole milk ricotta for the best texture and richness," because part-skim ricotta has less fat. You could even make your own ricotta, like Ina Garten.

Ricotta also alters the consistency of cheesecake due to its being somewhat less dense than cream cheese. "If you add ricotta into the formula, you will get a lighter cheesecake versus the denser style New York-style cheesecake," said Kanya. "This lighter version is perfect for any summer dessert." 

If you do add ricotta to your cheesecake, don't just dump it in straight from the carton. Unlike cream cheese, ricotta requires a certain amount of prep work. For one thing, if you fail to strain ricotta when baking, the excess moisture may make your cheesecake soggy. 

Laura Kanya advises putting the ricotta in a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or paper towels. Then cover it with plastic wrap, and weight it down "with something heavy to help press out the moisture," she said. Let the strainer sit above a bowl to catch the drips, and put it in the refrigerator for anywhere from one to 12 hours. "This will help reduce the liquid, which will help the texture," Kanya explained.

Yet another thing you can do to prepare your ricotta for use in a cheesecake is to blend it on high speed for one minute. "This will help break down small curds and give it a smoother and silkier texture, since it is typically grainy," Kanya told us. If the strained ricotta is too thick to blend, she suggests pouring in a small amount of either olive oil or heavy cream, as both of these "will add a richness to the ricotta."