No Crust Italian Pear and Ricotta Cheesecake
This easy no crust Italian pear and ricotta cheesecake is perfect enjoyed any time of day. This classic Italian style cheesecake is made without any cream cheese and has a light and creamy texture. I added pears, both stirred in the batter and on top, for extra sweetness and great texture!
Servings 12 servings
Calories 221kcal
Ingredients
- 3-4 Bartlett pears divided
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 3 cups whole milk ricotta drained for several hours
- 1 lemon, zested
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp cinnamon plus extra for sprinkling on top
- ¼ tsp salt
For serving
- powdered sugar for sprinking on top
Instructions
Prepare the pan
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring form pan. Tear off a sheet of parchment paper large enough to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Crumple it up into a ball. Open it up and press it into the bottom and sides of the pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet.
Prepare the batter
- Peel and core 2 of the pears. Cut into cubes and place in a bowl. Toss with 2 tsp. of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the sugar and eggs until pale and frothy.
- Stir in the drained ricotta and lemon zest and whisk to combine. Due to the grainy texture of the ricotta, the mixture will not be completely smooth. This is normal and ok.
- Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Use a rubber spatula to stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just incorporated. Do not over stir.
- Gently stir in the cubed pears along with the lemon juice in the bowl until evenly dispersed in the batter. Pour the mixture into the prepared spring form pan.
- Peel and thinly slice the remaining pear (or two pears if needed to cover the surface of the cake) and arrange the pieces in a fan formation over the batter. Sprinkle the top with more cinnamon.
To bake
- Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the sides begin to pull away from the edges of the pan. The center may still be slightly jiggly but will set as the cheesecake cools.
- Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing the sides of the pan.
To serve
- Let cool completely, preferably in the refrigerator, before serving. The center may still be soft when warm but it will set completely once refrigerated. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes prior to serving and dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
Substitutions and Variations:
-The lemon juice and zest may be replaced with an orange.
-Bartlett pears may be replaced with Anjou pears.
-For extra texture, sprinkle sliced almonds over the top before baking.
-You may separate the egg yolks, beat the whites until they form stiff peaks and fold them into the batter as a last step. This will create a cheesecake with a lighter texture although it is just as good as is!
-Add other flavorings such as 1 tsp of vanilla or almond extract to the batter. How can I tell when the cheesecake is done? -The cheese cake will still be slightly jiggly in the center however the top will be golden brown and the edges will be brown and pull away from the sides of the pan. Does ricotta cheesecake need to be refrigerated? -Yes it does. Wrap leftovers well in an airtight container or plastic wrap. How long do leftovers keep for? -Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 5 days. Why is the texture of my cheesecake grainy? -This is absolutely normal for a cheesecake made only with ricotta. Ricotta in general has a grainy texture. Please note that the nutritional information provided is approximate and may vary according to exact ingredients used and portion size.
-You may separate the egg yolks, beat the whites until they form stiff peaks and fold them into the batter as a last step. This will create a cheesecake with a lighter texture although it is just as good as is!
-Add other flavorings such as 1 tsp of vanilla or almond extract to the batter. How can I tell when the cheesecake is done? -The cheese cake will still be slightly jiggly in the center however the top will be golden brown and the edges will be brown and pull away from the sides of the pan. Does ricotta cheesecake need to be refrigerated? -Yes it does. Wrap leftovers well in an airtight container or plastic wrap. How long do leftovers keep for? -Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 5 days. Why is the texture of my cheesecake grainy? -This is absolutely normal for a cheesecake made only with ricotta. Ricotta in general has a grainy texture. Please note that the nutritional information provided is approximate and may vary according to exact ingredients used and portion size.
Nutrition
Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 119mg | Potassium: 168mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 354IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 156mg | Iron: 1mg