Blueberry Ricotta Cake Squares

Girlfriends were coming for lunch.  I had time to kill so wanted to put together something that was quick and easy. I had blueberries and ricotta cheese on hand, Googled the two, and voila!  These were a big hit.  So moist, and the plump, fresh blueberries were so refreshing.  I think anything with blueberries is fabulous; add the element of ricotta cheese and the end result is awesome!!

Ingredients

1 cup flour

3⁄4 cup sugar

1 1⁄4 teaspoons baking powder

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1⁄3 cup milk

1⁄4 cup shortening

1 egg

1⁄2 teaspoon lemon extract

2 eggs

1 1⁄4 cups ricotta cheese

1⁄3 cup sugar

1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1⁄2 cups blueberries

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 9 square baking pan. Set aside.

In small bowl, combine flour, 3/4 sugar, baking powder and salt.

Add milk, shortening, 1 egg and lemon extract. Beat on low speed until combined. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute.

Pour batter prepared pan; spread evenly.

Spread blueberries over batter.

In medium bowl lightly beat 2 eggs with fork and add ricotta cheese, 1/3 c sugar and  vanilla, beat until combined.

Spoon ricotta mixture over blueberries and spread evenly.

Bake at for 55-60 minutes, cool.  Cut into 16 squares.

Recipe adapted from Food.com

Betcha can't eat just one!

Strawberry Surprise Cheesecake

Looking at this cheesecake, no one would know there's a hidden layer of strawberry jam on the bottom.  This jam layer adds just enough pizazz to make this dessert extra special. Feel free to substitute the strawberry for another flavor.

Ingredients

1 1/2 c graham crumbs

1/3 c granulated sugar

4 T butter

1/2 c + 2 T strawberry jam

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 lb. whole milk ricotta cheese, drained over a cheesecloth for several hours or overnight

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1/2 c sour cream

2 T granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

For the crust, mix together graham crumbs, sugar & better until mixture is moistened enough to hold together.  Press into an 8" springform pan. 

Heat the jam in the microwave about 30 seconds or just until it loosens up.  Stir until smooth.  Spread evenly over the crust. Set aside.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment in place, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the sugar slowly, alternating with the eggs. Beat until smooth. Add the extracts and beat to incorporate.  Pour the batter into the prepared crust.  Bake for an hour or until the the outside is set but the middle 2" still jiggles.  Set cheesecake on a wire rack.  Combine the sour cream and granulated sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves.  Immediately spread over the top of the hot cheesecake. Allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate 3-4 hours before serving.  

Cheesecake will puff up in the oven and fall as it cools.

Enjoy!

 

Tomato, Ricotta & Basil Tart

Ingredients

1 pint Whole Milk Ricotta

2 large lemon, zested

1/2 cup Grated Parmesan

1 Egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

2 tablespoons Parsley, finely chopped

2 tablespoons Chives, finely chopped

1 sheet Puff Pastry

2-3 various Heirloom Tomatoes, sliced

1/2 cup Basil Leaves, torn

Flakey Sea Salt

Olive Oil

Black Pepper, freshly cracked

Parmesan cheese for garnish

Up to a day ahead of time, make the Ricotta mixture.  The flavors will continue to blend and enhance the longer it sits.

In a mixing bowl combine the Ricotta, Lemon Zest, Parmesan, Egg, Salt, Pepper, Parsley, Chives and 1 tablespoons of Olive Oil. Mix to thoroughly incorporate and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place your Puff Pastry on a baking sheet and roll it slightly in to more of a rectangle shape. Fold the edges in and using your thumb and forefinger, create fluted edges. Blind bake for 10 minutes.  This ensures that your tart is not soggy or under baked in the center.  Cool. Next, spread the cooled pastry with the Ricotta filling. Bake until golden brown and bubbly looking on top, 20-25 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and slide on to a cutting board. Start layering your sliced Tomatoes across the top. Next add the torn Basil, a drizzle of Olive Oil, Cracked Pepper, a little more Parmesan and some flaky Salt. Slice in to 9 pieces and serve.

Adapted from The Chew.

Mangia!

3 Cheese No-Bake Cheesecake w Amaretti Crust

AMARETTI CRUST

3 ounces amaretti cookies (about 20)

2 ounces honey graham crackers (about 4 whole crackers), coarsely crushed

Pinch of kosher salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

CHEESECAKE

1 teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin

3/4 cup chilled heavy cream

Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup fresh ricotta cheese

3/4 cup sugar

Pinch of kosher salt

1/4 cup mascarpone cheese or sour cream

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

MAKE THE CRUST Preheat the oven to 350°. In a food processor, pulse the amaretti with the graham crackers and salt until finely ground. Transfer the crumbs to a small bowl and stir in the butter. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and halfway up the side of an 8-inch springform pan. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the crust is set. Cool on a rack.

MAKE THE CHEESECAKE In a microwave-safe dish, sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons of cold water; let stand until the gelatin is softened, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form; refrigerate.

 In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, ricotta, sugar and salt with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the mascarpone and lemon juice.

 Microwave the gelatin until melted, 5 seconds; scrape into the cream cheese mixture and beat until incorporated. Fold in the whipped cream. Pour the mixture into the cooled crust and smooth the surface. Refrigerate the cake until firm and set 3 hours.

 Unmold the cheesecake and serve with fresh fruit, if desired.

Adapted from Food and Wine.

Enjoy!

Fresh Ricotta Pie w Cherry Sauce

Ingredients:

Vegetable-oil cooking spray

1 pound fresh ricotta

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten, plus 3 large egg yolks, divided

Pinch of coarse salt

1/3 cup chopped candied orange zest

1/3 cup chopped dried cherries

1/4 teaspoon anise seed, ground

1 recipe Pasta Frolla dough

All-purpose flour, for dusting

1/4 cup chopped pistachios, optional

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Cherry Sauce, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment; spray parchment. Mix together ricotta, confectioners' sugar, yolks, salt, zest, cherries, and anise in a bowl.

Let dough sit at room temperature 15 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out smaller disk of dough 1/8 inch thick; using pan as guide, cut out an 8-inch round. Chill until firm. Meanwhile, roll out larger disk to an 11-inch round, about 1/4 inch thick; fit into bottom and up sides of pan, pressing and patching dough as needed.

Spread filling over dough. Fold sides of dough over filling. Brush beaten egg over folded sides. Top with 8-inch disk; brush with beaten egg and sprinkle evenly with pistachios and granulated sugar. Chill 30 minutes. Bake on a baking sheet until golden, about 1 hour (tent with foil if browning too quickly). Let cool completely on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cut into wedges; serve with sauce.

Pasta Frolla:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1/2 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon coarse salt

14 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces

1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until just combined. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk together egg, yolk, vanilla, and zest in a bowl; add to flour mixture and process just until dough comes together.

Turn out onto a floured work surface; knead to form a ball. Divide into two-thirds and one-third. Gently press into flat disks. Wrap each in plastic; chill at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.

Cherry Sauce:

1 can (14.5 ounces) pitted tart red cherries in water

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cherry liqueur, such as Luxardo

Drain cherries, reserving liquid. Place cherries in a heatproof bowl. Bring 2/3 cup reserved cherry liquid and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, swirling until sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking until reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Stir in liqueur, then pour mixture over cherries. Let cool completely before refrigerating, covered, at least 1 day and up to 3 days.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living's Double Crusted Ricotta Pie

If you like the recipes you see here, please visit my Facebook bakery page > The Sugar Faerie Bake Shoppe.  I would really love to reach 200 Likes, and could use some help. I'm overdue for another giveaway, so a dozen gourmet biscotti will be split between my 200th Like and the person who referred them to my page. So share my link on your timeline, msg your friends and help me spread the word. Once I reach 200, I will announce the winners. Thank you! 

Lemon and Ricotta Cream Cheese Cake

This is a refreshing change from the classic New York style cheesecake as it incorporates ricotta cheese as well as cream cheese in a shortbread crust. I rate this a 5/5.

Ingredients

1 c flour
1/4 c granulated sugar
6 T unsalted butter, chopped

12 oz. cream cheese, softened
16 oz. ricotta cheese
4 eggs
1/2 c freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 T lemon zest
1 c granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 T cornstarch
1 1/2 T cold water

1 c sour cream
1/4 c granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 300*.
In a large bowl add flour, sugar & butter.  Rub together between fingers until course crumbs form. Press in the bottom of a 9" springform pan.  Bake approx. 30 minutes until golden.  Set aside to cool.

In a food processor place cream cheese, ricotta cheese, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar and vanilla and process until smooth.  In a small bowl mix cornstarch with water.  Add to mixture and process until blended.  Pour into cooled crust and bake 1 hr. 30 minutes until golden brown and slightly wobbly in the very center.  Turn oven off.

Mix sour cream and sugar together.  When cheesecake is done, spread sour cream over the top and return to the oven, heat off and door closed, for an hour.

Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

This recipe is adapted & converted from Donna Hay's Classic Lemon Cheesecake.