But before all that, let’s share some dessert! Today I’m switching up the way we eat cheesecake via my newest obsession: Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake CUPCAKES. Tiny in size and huge in flavor… I seriously cannot get enough of these little cuties.
I’ve been a lover of all things lemon ricotta for ages now. You’ll find lemon ricotta pancakes, lemon ricotta cupcakes, and even a full-sized lemon ricotta cheesecake all hiding in the recipe archives. Drawing inspiration from all of those fabulous recipes, I created these lemon ricotta cheesecake cupcakes as an option for those craving cheesecake without all the chaos. Cause let’s be real… sometimes we just don’t feel like busting out the springform pan and building a water bath. And that’s OK!
Tips and Tricks and Recipe for Success:
Your blocks of cream cheese MUST be very soft before you make the batter. I suggest placing them out on the counter for at least two hours before you plan on baking. If you attempt to blend cold cream cheese it will clump up and won’t develop into a smooth batter. It also may harm your blender or food processor…
You should also bring your eggs, egg yolk, and ricotta cheese to room temperature, as batters made with cold ingredients don’t come together smoothly.
The lemon juice and zest adds a very subtle but lovely pop of citrus to the cheesecake bars. If you prefer, you may substitute an equal amount of orange juice and zest. The lemon (or orange) juice is essential to the texture of the cheesecake, however the zest may be left out completely, if desired.
Be sure not to over bake your cheesecake cupcakes. While I’ve included a bake time in the recipe box below, all ovens run a little different. You’ll know they’re done when the centers have puffed up and the center has just a slight wiggle. Also, don’t fret if a few crack. They deflate quite a bit after they cool, and any remaining cracks will be covered with lemon curd.
Be sure to cool the cheesecake cupcakes completely before adding the lemon curd. If the cheesecake cupcake are even a little hot they curd will melt and make a mess.
Ingredients
- For the Crust:
- 1 cup Graham Crackers, pulsed into crumbs
- 3 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 3 and 1/2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
- For the Ricotta Cheesecake Filling:
- 12 ounces Full-Fat Cream Cheese, very soft (use brick-style cream cheese for best results)
- 1/2 cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2 large Eggs plus 1 Egg Yolk, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons All-purpose Flour
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Lemon Zest
- 1/2 cup lemon curd
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners, lightly spray liners with non-stick spray and set aside.
- For the Crust:
- In the body of a blender or food processor, combine graham crackers, sugar, and salt; pulse until the crackers have been completely transformed into fine crumbs. Add melted butter; stir well to combine. Add 1 heaping tablespoonful to each lined muffin cup. Press the crust firmly into an even layer. Bake in preheated oven 5 minutes then remove from oven and set aside to cool. In the meantime, make your filling.
- For the Ricotta Cheesecake Filling:
- In the body of a high power blender, food processor, stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand held mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and Ricotta cheese until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla and beat smooth, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
- Add in the eggs and yolk and beat until combined. Turn the mixer off and, using a rubber spatula, gently stir in the flour, mixing just until combined. Stir in the lemon juice and zest, mixing just until it's incorporated in the batter. Divide the filling evenly among cups - pouring it on top of the prepared crust layer - adding about 1/3 cup to each mold.
- The molds will be very full. Gently wiggle the pan back and forth to level the cheesecake filling. Bake in preheated oven for 22 to 24 minutes, or until cupcakes are puffed, set at the edges, and just a little jiggly in the center. Turn oven OFF and cool cheesecakes inside the oven, with the door cracked, for 5 minutes, before removing. Cool cheesecake cupcakes in the pan, placed on top of a cooling rack, completely, before transferring them to the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours. Once cool, top each cheesecake cupcake with a teaspoon of lemon curd. Store in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, until needed. Cheesecakes will keep for 5 days.
Notes
Recipe may be doubled.
thanks done share recipes to : https://bakerbynature.com/lemon-ricotta-cheesecake-cupcakes/