Honey Ricotta Cheesecake with Almond Crust (Plus: 7 Tips for Perfect Cheesecake)
I’m always ready to sink my fork into a good slice of cheesecake. The contrast between the creamy filling and crisp crust is irresistible, is it not? Italian Cheesecake is a particular favorite, though I sometimes wonder if the dessert has been misnamed. It is, after all, made with ricotta – and only ricotta – which isn’t a cheese but a creamy curd. Ricotta is made when the hot, leftover whey of milk used for cheese making is reheated, at which point the solid parts are skimmed off and presto! Ricotta. For precisely this reason “ricotta” means “re-cooked.”These are the things I think about on the subway.
This Honey Ricotta Cheesecake is 1/2 ricotta and 1/2 cream cheese, which makes for a dense, luxurious filling that practically melts in your mouth. I made two of these babies for our Passover seder last night and, as you can see from the note below the main photo, went to great lengths to snag a shot before the cheesecakes were completely consumed. Priorities. I got em.
Cheesecake is the perfect Passover dessert, not only because it’s scrumptious but because it’s easily adaptable to the food restrictions that apply throughout the 8 days of Passover – namely, nothing from the five major grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats and spelt) is allowed. (Beans and rice are also off limits.) So instead of using a graham cracker or gingersnap crust – the two most common cheesecake crusts – I used ground almonds mixed with a bit of a sugar, butter and almond extract. The result is a crisp, flavorful crust that complements the smooth ricotta-cream cheese filling. Orange blossom honey and orange zest give the filling an extra kick, and if you look closely you’ll be able to see flecks of orange zest throughout the filling – an effect, I think is lovely.
Although this cheesecake takes a while to make – 10 hours from start to finish, most of that time inactive – the process is pretty straightforward. Instead of dry baking it like the Pumpkin Cheesecake I published in October ’08, this cheesecake is baked in a water bath. The water helps it bake slowly and evenly, which prevents the cheesecake from cracking on the top. Cracks happen when the outer edge of the filling bakes faster than the center, causing the filling to rise, then sink, and crack. Here are some more helpful cheesecake tips:
- 1. Make sure your crust is firmly shaped before you bake it. The best way to do this is by tapping the ground almonds into the pan with the bottom of a round glass, then gently rolling the glass against the crust along the sides of the pan.
- 2. Waterproof your pan. Wrap the bottom of your springform pan with 2-3 layers of aluminum foil that is at least 15-inches wide (for a 9-inch pan). Do not under any circumstances attempt to use foil that is thinner than this. No matter how many layers you make, the water will find a way into the foil and will soak the bottom of your crust. I speak from experience.
- 3. Don’t overbake your cheesecake. Cheesecakes are easy to overbake because people want them to be firm to the touch straight out of the oven. However, a cheesecake is actually done when the center is still wobbly. It firms up during the cooling period.
- 4. Don’t skimp on the fat. Reduced fat cheese will prevent the cheesecake from setting properly.
- 5. If a recipe calls for cream cheese, make sure it’s at room temperature before you begin mixing. Cold cream cheese doesn’t blend as well, which will lead to lumpy batter and a batter with too much air in it. This air will cause bubbles to form on the top of your cheesecake while it’s baking – not sexy.
- 6. Allow your cheesecake to chill for several hours before cutting it. I know it’s tempting to dive in after only a few hours have passed, but chilling thoroughly makes a huge difference.
- 7. Use a long, sharp knife with smooth edges to cut your cheesecake. Run it under very hot water first, then dry it off and use a downward motion to cut straight into the cheesecake. When the knife hits the bottom of the pan pull it back towards you, rather than pulling it up and out of the cake. This method all but guarantees picture perfect slices. Run the knife under hot water and dry it off again before each cut.
To those among you celebrating Passover this week, chag sameach! (Hebrew for “Happy Holiday!”) And to everyone else, have an awesome rest of the week. 
Honey Ricotta Cheesecake with Almond Crust
Adapted from this Giada DeLaurentis recipe
Ingredients: Makes 1 cheesecake
* Special equipment: aluminum foil that is at least 15 inches wide.
- For the almond crust:
- 2 cups whole unblanched almonds
- 5 tablespoons of sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta, drained
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup orange blossom or clover honey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
- 4 large eggs
For the filling:
Make the crust:
Wrap the outside of your springform pan with 2 heavy duty layers of aluminum foil that are 15 to 18 inches wide. Each layer should be wide and long enough to cover the bottom of the pan without leaving any gaps. You need to create a water-tight seal so that when you bake the cheesecake in hot water none of the liquid seeps into the pan. Test the seal before you proceed with making the crust. You can test it by putting the pan in a large roasting pan filled with water.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a food processor, blend the almonds, sugar and almond extract until the almonds are coarsely chopped. Add unsalted butter and process until almonds are finely chopped. With your hands, press the almond mixture firmly onto the bottom and 2 inches up the side of a 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Fill a small glass (no handle) with coins and use it to gently press the crust onto the bottom and sides, allowing the weight from the coins to do the work for you.
Bake crust until light brown, about 15-20 minutes. Allow the crust to cool in the pan on a rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Make the filling:
In a clean food processor, blend the ricotta until smooth. Add the cream cheese and sugar and blend well, stopping the machine occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Blend in the honey and orange zest. Add the eggs and pulse until just blended.
Pour the mixture into the crust, leaving a bit of room between the top of the filling and the top of the crust. Transfer the springform pan to a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the aluminum foil covered pan. Bake until the cheesecake is golden and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour and 5 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold).
Transfer the cheesecake to a rack to cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days. Cut the cake into wedges and serve, with whipped cream if desired.
Note: Wrapped first in plastic film then foil, cheesecakes freeze well for up to a month.
// Edit: A couple people have had trouble removing the sides of the springform pan after the cheesecake has chilled overnight. I did not have this problem, but if you do try going around the edges with a thin butter knife before removing the sides. //
89 Responses to “Honey Ricotta Cheesecake with Almond Crust (Plus: 7 Tips for Perfect Cheesecake)”
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A beautiful slice of cheesecake! I’ve still never tried a version with ricotta but have a few tagged. The honey in this version sounds perfect.
kellypea´s last blog post -> Cream of Asparagus Soup
Mmm, lovely!! And hey, I think about baking projects while en route somewhere as well, haha
Such a lovely cheesecake. I am not a cream cheese fan, but I love ricotta. I will have to try this recipe. Love the pink tulip. Happy Spring!
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Hi! From one book I won in one of your giveways they add a bit of maize semolina and it is amazing, because it is crunchyand you cannot stop eating eating. Eventhough it can be a bit sticky between your teeth.
Lari – Sounds delish! But since I made this for Passover semolina is off limits, as is anything made with cornmeal etc. Basically anything that resembles flour is a no-no, except for matzah meal.
Beautiful! I like it.
A gorgeous cheesecake! I love that crust! Thanks for the useful tips…
Happy Pesach!
Cheers,
Rosa
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This looks delicious I can’t wait to try it out!
I love cheesecake and make it all the time. This one sounds fabulous!
Yum! The almond crust sounds fantastic. I’ve never made a cheesecake, but this one looks like a good way to start!
As always thank you so much for all the great tips. And I feel so silly I never realized ricotta means re-cooked–I did take an Italian class or two at one point in my life!–and how interesting it isn’t really a cheese at all… K x
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I love cheesecake but I just don’t have the patience for it. This makes me want to pick one up on the way home…
Kelly´s last blog post -> Bitch, Whine, Moan
This looks amazing! I love the honey twist.
Your slice cut up beautifully. I love the addition of ricotta and honey. Makes for a truly different cheesecake.
Ari, this looks SO good and the almond crust, yum! I’ve never tried a cheesecake with ricotta, but I’ll have to give this one a shot. I’m impressed that you got such a pretty picture after wrestling this piece away
Nicole´s last blog post -> Wedding Season 2009
Nicole – It was a struggle, but gosh darnit I had a blog post to write.
I have never tried making cheese cake before. Would try to make it some day. Yours is perfect!
Roossy Tirta´s last blog post -> Amanda and her dance!
I love the idea of a almond crust!
This sounds really delicious. I like the idea of the almond crust a lot!
Kalyn´s last blog post -> Recipe for Shrimp and Wasabi (or Dijon) Deviled Eggs and a Collection of Deviled Egg Ideas
Wow!! That looks amazing…and sounds delicious! Saw it on Tastespotting and had to come check it out!
Aggie´s last blog post -> Barefoot Bloggers – Chinese Chicken Salad
This looks so good….I need some!
Ari, hope it’s okay to leave this here; feel free to delete after you see it if you want. I find the other recipes for my posts with Food Blog Search (http://foodblogsearch.com) It’s so easy to find them that way, and it’s popular with readers as well as other bloggers!
Kalyn´s last blog post -> Recipe for Shrimp and Wasabi (or Dijon) Deviled Eggs and a Collection of Deviled Egg Ideas
Kalyn – Of course it’s ok and thank you for getting back to me! I’m off to check that site out.
Yum! I like the almond crust.
This cheesecake looks delicious! I love the use of ricotta in cheesecakes; it adds an little bit of lightness and extra creaminess, for sure. And honey, well, that’s just a delightful addition! Great tips, too.
Thanks for the tips. I need some experience making cheesecakes.
Would you believe I’ve never made cheesecake? If I do, I hope it comes out half as beautiful as yours. And that it has some chocolate in it!
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Such a perfect slice – it looks gorgeous!
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that is one gorgeous piece of cheesecake. looks so perfect. haven’t tried ricotta in a cheesecake…… thanks for those helpful tips. and thanks for dropping by my blog. you got t a lovely space over here. looking forward to reading more.
I love making cheesecake. Have never used ricotta before. Will need to try this.
May I offer an 8th tip? I’m a retired pastry chef and I like to turn off the oven, right before I think it’s done and let it come to a complete cool in the oven. No cracks on top this way. Love the recipes!
Tha’s something I’d like to try, never baked a satisfying cheese-cake, although I love to eat a good one (the ones in Austria…yum!
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This is going into my recipe file. We love cheesecake, and it’s one of my favorite things to make. Using a water bath does make a big difference in the success, doesn’t it? Thanks for the recipe.
This looks so delicious. Happy holiday!
That cheesecake looks really good!
Let it be known that instead of baking in the water bath, you can place boiling water in a baking dish a rack below the actual cheese cake. Also, did you find that there was a wide range of kosher for passover ricotta cheese (according to OU standards)? Chag Sameach and I look forward to trying this as well.
burgeoningfoodie – Actually, putting boiling water beneath the baking dish isn’t the same. The reason a water bath works is because water can’t get hotter than 212 degrees F without turning into steam so the bath surrounds the custard filling of cheesecakes and prevents the outer edge from getting hotter than the center. Water that does turn to steam also makes the air in the oven moist, condensing back onto the top of the cheesecake and helping to prevent cracks as well. This latter part is similar to placing hot water on the rack below the cheesecake pan, but wouldn’t prevent cracking in and of itself.
Of course, cheesecakes can also be dry baked like the Pumpkin Cheesecake I linked to above. In that case placing water beneath the cheesecake may be a useful technique.
this looks yummy! i’ve been afraid of making cheesecakes – besides, my MIL & SIL are the ones who make the cheesecakes. but this doesn’t look too hard. i may have to try this.
(also, MIL uses the mandal cuts to make the cheesecake crust for passover)
3. Don’t overbake your cheesecake. Cheesecakes are easy to overbake because people want them to be firm to the touch straight out of the oven. However, a cheesecake is actually done when the center is still wobbly. It firms up during the cooling period.
And here i kept thinking it still wasnt done and kept it baking. Now I know thank you so much for the tips.
When I was young I thought cheesecakes were the most magical of cakes. Then I made my first one and WOW it was so easy I never bought another one. This looks like a good one to add to my collection. Thanks for sharing
Cheesecake. Ooooh, cheesecake! I don’t often make desserts, but cheesecake is an exception. And often I’m tempted to just leave out the crust – it’s good, but secondary. But an almond crust sounds exquisite.
So rich and sweet cake!
That is one nice looking cheesecake! Thanks for the great recipe and tips!
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That looks amazing. I’ve never made cheesecake before, but I might just have to try this one.
Thanks for the tips. I may actually get the courage to try this one.
Clesha´s last blog post -> Operation PWC Is A Go
Awesome
Love the almond crust. Adding orange zest to the filling is very
original and creative.
I see. I’ve only used the part I mentioned to prevent the cracking of the cheesecake. I will try a waterbath next time and see what difference it makes to texture and taste. Thank you for the helpful note.
I love making cheesecake. They are such a good bang for the buck dessert, even if some of the ones I’ve made had me up for hours past my bed time (never start by making the cookies for a crust at 8 p.m.). Have you tried making your own ricotta? I’m trying to decide if I could get a gallon of milk to do double duty for making paneer and ricotta.
Seanna Lea – I haven’t made ricotta but just the other day my husband and I were saying we want to make some soon. It’s one of the easier cheeses to make at home so perhaps it will be the topic of an upcoming blog post?
Or maybe I’ll look up a recipe and realize that the main difference between ricotta and paneer is a bit of cream and the amount of time you let it drain.
you had me at “honey ricotta cheesecake!” but add in the almond crust and the orange zest, wow! sounds amazing. now, how to fit in a cheesecake session between grad school and two jobs… a subject for another post I suspect
Jenn T – I just use my free time to do all my baking and blogging. Both are a form of relaxation for me so I make an effort to fit them in!
i love cheesecake! so glad for another cheesecake recipe! i’ve only made new york cheesecake before, but i’m excited for this honey ricotta cheesecake, with almond crust no less! thanks for the recipe and for the tips!
Happy Easter! 
I just finished a delicious dinner, and didn’t think I was hungry, but reading your description of this cheesecake makes me want some anyway!
Good thing I don’t have any!
I (heart) Cheesecake!
My family loves cheesecake and I’ve been wanting to try a recipe that combines ricotta with cream cheese. Both the filling and the almond crust sound great! Beautiful photo too.
I always think that cheesecakes are the most photogenic cakes I know.
Happy Holiday Ari!
Mmmm, I could go for some cheesecake right now!
I LOVE cheesecake, and the almond crust sounds like a fantastic pairing
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I have to make this very soon, I have been tempted to make a cheesecake but feel daunted by the method, but you describe it so well and the lemon tips it for me, Mmmmmm
I love cheesecake but sta away from it because it too much cheese. But now you’ve tempted me!
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Mmm, almond crust and orange in the filling. You always come up with great twists to classic recipes!
Gorgeous pie, Ariela!! I love the orange zest and almond crust. I can’t wait to try this. Thank you!
Chag pesach samaech,
~ Paula
wooooowww… I like it very much!!!
Yay! Thanks for the cheesecake baking tips
Nirvana´s last blog post -> Egyptian Felafel
i followed your tips and my cheesecake came out crack-free! awesome. now, if only i could fast-forward to when the cake is cooled and ready to eat… *sigh*
Nancy´s last blog post -> Aaaand We’re Back…
Nancy – Huzzah! And yes, I agree, if only cheesecake chilled faster.
wow…it looks just perfect and the crust is looking just fine.
I’ve always used cream cheese but I think ricotta is something worth trying
and thx for the tips specially the foil seal around the spring form
these tips would’ve been much more useful to me had i seen this post over the weekend. my cheesecake, while edible and even almost delicious, was far from perfect.
I’ve never had a ricotta cheesecake – I should give this one a try!
Deborah´s last blog post -> Blitz Bread
i have never heard of ricotta cheese cake before. looks good!
Oh my! Shhhh, but I have never made a cheesecake – for the first time I’m very, very, tempted. Orange zest, honey, and ground almonds sound like a perfect combination. I just may (finally) take a stab at it!
Looks terrific! It’s one of my favorites desserts… thanks for the tips!!!
I frequently make pumpkin cheesecake for Thanksgiving, so I decided to try this delicious-sounding recipe yesterday for an Easter/Passover dinner. It came together easily, but I have *never* had so much trouble removing a cheesecake from the pan. I had to hastily spackle it together before bringing it to the table, and only half succeeded. Luckily, it tasted so wonderful no one cared. I used the bain-marie technique described in the recipe, and I didn’t overbake. Should I have buttered the springform pan? Any other advice?
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Fritanancy – Hmm. My springform pan was brand new when I used it for this recipe so the crust didn’t stick at all, but on an older pan a bit of cooking spray would help with that. I hesitate to say “yes, grease the pan” though because that might prevent the crust from adhering to the sides as much as it should, which later on would mean it wouldn’t hold it’s shape.
Did you go around the edges with a butter knife before removing the sides of the pan?
I don’t normally like cheesecake, but this one sounds delish. I might just have to try it just to try it. Thanks!
Sorry that I wasn’t a huge almond fan – but it was good enough I did try them! Thanks again, and contact me about books anytime
Thanks for the cheesecake tips!
Yum! I love cheesecake, though I can’t afford cream cheese.
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I enjoyed the cheese cake recipe I am always trying to find a use for Ricotta. I always put it in lasagna but always have left over ricotta. The cheese cake was great and so are the tips.
Cathy – So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! And THANK YOU for coming back to tell me about your experience with it. I love hearing about how things go in the kitchen.
I love cheesecakes made with ricotta. I haven’t done one in a while – now I am inspired
YUM! Cheesecake!!
What a fantastic dessert alternative- I think the best Passover desserts are the ones that don’t feel like Passover desserts!
Though I’ve tried to broaden my baking repertoire and bake all different sorts of confections, I’ve steered clear of cheesecake, as my Dad has expressed that he is a cheesecake hater. I wonder if he’s ever tried an Italian style cheesecake (with ricotta) or just the traditional NY style with all cream cheese. Maybe I could convert him with your recipe! I just have to work up the courage to try and change his mind. Oh, and thank you for all the wonderful tips!
Hope you had a wonderful (and delicious) seder!
-Joy
Hi Ari,
I am a regular visitor of your website and you have a lovely blog. I am amazed and applaud at how you can fit in the baking and blogging with grad school and a full time job.
I had something simlar to this on our trip to Florence and was looking for a recipe for a ricotta cheesecake ever since. The only difference I think is that there was no creamcheese in the one I had and it was very midly sweet. It was served drizzled with melted chocolate… yumm… Thank you for the recipe.
Ooh, just in time for Shavuos. This will probably be one of my cheesecakes that I make for the holiday. Thanks! Will link to this in my next post.
Can I just use already-ground almonds for the crust?
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Wow, that looks fab!
Hi
I know you recommend using a long sharp knife with smooth edges to cut cheesecake, what type of knife would that be, a carving knife, slicing knife etc.
Just a sharp knife with a thin edge.