Hello, foodies…
Cheese month continues on ITKWD and we're off to Italy this Sunday! And, who better to tutor us Italian cheese than our friends from QVC Italy!
Our recipe this Sunday is a Ricotta & Mascarpone Cheesecake. Doesn't this look terrific!?
Ricotta & Mascarpone Cheesecake
This recipe is prepared with the KitchenAid 10-Speed Tilt-Head Stand Mixer (K37868).
Go to David's Recipe Item Page for the full list of items that David has used in his recipes.
Ingredients:
Crust:
8 oz bag Amaretti cookies
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
1 lb ricotta cheese, room temperature
1 lb mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1-1/3 cups sugar
2-1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
5 large eggs
Directions:
To prepare the crust, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place the Amaretti cookies in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
Transfer the crumbs to a bowl, add the melted butter, and mix until combined.
Spread the crust into the prepared pan and evenly press them into the bottom and halfway up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes; set aside.
When the pan has completely cooled, place it on the middle of two large pieces of aluminum foil (laid out in a cross shape) and fold up the sides around it, until it reaches the top. Tightly shape the foil around the pan.
To prepare the filling, preheat the oven to 325°F.
Blend the ricotta in a food processor until smooth. Spoon the cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the mascarpone cheese and mix until combined. Add the sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix until combined, then pause to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in and the eggs and mix just until blended.
Pour the mixture onto the crust. Place the cheesecake into a large roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with enough hot water to cover the cheesecake pan halfway. (The foil will prevent the water from leaking into the cake.) Bake until the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 90 minutes. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 45 minutes. Refrigerate until cold, at least 8 hours or overnight.
I wasn't sure it was possible to make this cake any better, until our talented chef Andrea suggested we try a lemon curd just to add some extra flavor. If you're a lemon fan, you must try it. Just whisk together the zest of 2 lemons, 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/8 tsp salt, and 3 eggs in a 3-quart heavy saucepan. Cook over moderately low heat, whisking frequently, until it thickens, about 5–7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add 4 Tbsp cold butter, and whisk until completely melted. Refrigerate until ready to serve, then drizzle the sauce over slices of the cake.
Now, we couldn't "travel" to Italy without asking one of our favorite Italian chefs to be with us. So, the one and only Fabio Viviani will be here with his brand-new cookbook Fabio's Italian Kitchen! Fabio is just a riot…our whole team loves when he’s in town. But his fun, casual, down-to-earth style also translates in his cooking. He takes the intimidation home-cooks like you and I may feel about Italian cooking, out. And his new book is a testament to his style. It contains 150 recipes that are easy and approachable. His book is already part of my personal collection. Here’s just one entry: his mom's Tiramisu!
Since we're talking about Italian cooking today, tell me what's your favorite Italian recipe? Does a homemade lasagna make you weak in the knees? Spaghetti and meatballs?Chicken parmesan? I'm craving a big plate of stuffed shells at this very moment. I just may have to give Fabio a call and have him bring those on Sunday, too…
See you at Noon ET, foodies, and keep it flavorful!
—David