Velvet Trio: 3-Cheese Bliss Cheesecake

Indulge in a rich 3 Cheese Cheesecake: Cream cheese, Ricotta, Mascarpone create a luscious dessert. Perfect crust, creamy filling, and top with fruit.

• Yield: 1 10-inch cheesecake (approximately 12 servings)
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes (including 4 hours of chilling time)

Description

Indulge in the creamy, velvety goodness of a classic 3 Cheese Cheesecake! This recipe combines the rich flavours of cream cheese, Ricotta cheese, and Mascarpone cheese, resulting in a luscious and decadent dessert that will impress your taste buds. The crust is made from graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter, creating a perfect base for the smooth and creamy cheesecake filling. Baked to perfection in a water bath to ensure a creamy texture and prevent cracking, this cheesecake is a showstopper. Top it off with your favourite pie filling or fresh fruit for a delightful finish. With detailed instructions and a helpful tip for creating a perfect parchment paper lining, this recipe is sure to become a favourite for cheesecake lovers. Treat yourself and your loved ones to this indulgent 3 Cheese Cheesecake and savour every heavenly bite!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• Pinch of salt
• 1 lb room temperature cream cheese
• 1 lb room temperature Ricotta cheese (creamed in a food processor.)
• 1 lb room temperature Mascarpone cheese
• 2 cups sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup flour

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and place a pan of water on the bottom shelf of the oven. This will create steam in the oven and help prevent the cheesecake from cracking during baking.

2. Prepare the crust by combining graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Mix well. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Optionally, you can cut a round piece of parchment paper to line the bottom of the pan for easier removal of the cheesecake later.

3. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese, Ricotta cheese, Mascarpone cheese, and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and flour, and mix until just blended. Be careful not to overmix the cheesecake filling after adding the eggs, as overmixing can lead to a denser texture. Mix until just combined to keep the filling light and fluffy.

4. Pour the cheesecake batter over the graham cracker crust in the springform pan.

5. To create a water bath, wrap the outside of the springform pan with aluminum foil. This helps prevent water from seeping into the cheesecake during the bath.

6. Place the wrapped springform pan into a larger baking pan or roasting pan that is large enough to accommodate it.

7. Carefully pour boiling water into the larger baking pan or roasting pan, surrounding the springform pan with the cheesecake batter. The water should come up about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. This will create steam and help regulate the temperature during baking.

8. Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the center of the cheesecake is almost set. The water bath will help create gentle and even heat around the cheesecake, reducing the risk of cracks and promoting a creamy texture.

9. Once the cheesecake is baked, carefully remove the pans from the oven.

10. Use oven mitts or tongs to carefully lift the springform pan out of the water bath and place it on a cooling rack. Remove the aluminum foil from the outside of the springform pan.

11. Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature on the cooling rack for about an hour, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow the cheesecake to set properly.

12. Once chilled, you can top the cheesecake with pie filling or fresh fruit just before serving.

Notes:

Cutting a round piece of parchment paper

• Start with a square piece of parchment paper greater than 10 in. Place it on a flat surface with one corner pointing towards you.
• Fold the bottom edge of the paper up to meet the top edge, creating a triangle shape. Make sure the edges are aligned and the triangle is symmetrical.
• Take the left corner of the triangle and fold it towards the right, aligning the edges and creating a smaller triangle.
• Repeat the previous step by folding the right corner of the triangle towards the left, aligning the edges and creating an even smaller triangle. Similar to folding a paper snowflake.
• Rotate the triangle so that the long edge is facing away from you and the tip is pointing towards you.
• Mesure 5 in from the tip of the triangle. Hold the triangle firmly and carefully snip off the end of the triangle with scissors, creating a curved or round shape.
• Unfold the paper to reveal the round piece of paper you have cut using the folded triangle method.