Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake

Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake

My sweet tooth was tugging at me for the past few days. I wanted to cave into my craving however, I did not want to eat anything from a box. Striving to not have to go to store, I searched my fridge, and to my amazement I found that I had all the necessary ingredients to make cheesecake. 

I came across several recipes on the Internet for cheesecake; this is my kitchen tested version.

Graham cracker crust:
8 to 9 Ladyfinger cookies
8 Graham cracker cookies (1 pkg)
2 tbsp. raw cane sugar
3 tbsp. melted butter

Cheesecake:
Pint of low-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 pint goat's milk plain yogurt 
2 (8oz.) Neufchatel cheese, or farmer's cheese (cut into chunks and room temperature)
4 large eggs
3/4 cup raw cane sugar
1/4 tsp. lemon zest
2 - 3  tsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. corn starch
3 tbsp. all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (176ºC). Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring form pan. And wrap bottom of pan with foil.

2. Combine ladyfingers and graham crackers in food processor until fine, add unbleached cane sugar and melted butter. Pour cookie mixture into your prepared pan and press evenly using the bottom of a glass cup.

3. On medium speed of your electric mixer, combine ricotta cheese until smooth, then add Neufchatel cheese a little at a time, making sure to scrape the sides of mixing bowl periodically until well combined. Add lightly beaten eggs one at a time, scraping sides of bowl after each addition. Next add corn starch, flour, lemon juice,lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Then add sugar a little at a time until desired sweetness. Slowly add butter. Add yogurt until well combined.

Baking  cheesecake in a water bath, helps  reduces the chances the cheesecake will crack, or curdle. Just make sure to wrap the bottom of pan with foil to prevent water from seeping in.

4. Pour batter on top of cookie crust and bake in water bath for about 1 hour until firm to touch and center is soft. Shut off oven, leave cheesecake in oven for one hour. Remove from oven, and let cool for at least one hour at room temperature.

Optional: I like my cheesecakes to have a slightly brown crust so I put the broiler on for a couple of minutes, keep a careful watch as it could burn very quickly.

Serve at room temperature or slightly warm. We couldn't resist and ate the cheesecake while it was warm and it was sooooo good. The softest cheesecake I ever had.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.