Indulge in your Italian dessert cravings with this light & unique Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake - made quickly in your Instant Pot! Using Ricotta and Mascarpone instead of cream cheese give this easy dessert a delightful texture, and the lemon curd on top gives it an extra zing that everyone will love!
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Keyword instant pot cheesecake, ricotta cheesecake
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 35 minutesminutes
Chilling Time 4 hourshours
Total Time 4 hourshours50 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Calories 441kcal
Author Erica
Ingredients
2tablespoonsunsalted buttermelted
¾cupvanilla wafers or graham crackerscrushed (about 1 1/2 cups uncrushed)
Pinchkosher salt
1 ¼cupwhole milk ricotta cheese
½cupmascarpone cheesesoftened
½cupgranulated sugar
2tablespoonsall-purpose flour
1teaspoonvanilla extract
2teaspoonslemon zest
1teaspoonlemon juice
3large eggsroom temperature
½cuplemon curd
Instructions
Line base of a 7-inch round springform pan or cake pan with a round of parchment paper. Lightly grease sides of pan with butter or non-stick baking spray.
Place vanilla wafers or graham crackers, melted butter, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand.
Transfer crumbs into prepared pan and, using the flat bottom of a glass, press it into an even layer onto the bottom and ~1/2-inch up the sides of pan. Place pan in freezer to firm up while making filling.
Combine cheeses, sugar, flour, vanilla, lemon juice and zest, and eggs in a food processor. Process for 2 minutes until filling is smooth and well-blended.
Pour batter into prepared crust. Gently tap pan on countertop a few times to release air bubbles. Place a square paper towel over pan, then cover and seal with a sheet of aluminum foil.
Place pan in the center of a silicone sling. Alternatively, create an aluminum foil sling by folding a 24-inch long sheet of aluminum foil in half lengthwise twice to create a 3-inch wide strip.
Add 1 cup water to inner pot of pressure cooker. Place the trivet in pot. Holding the ends of the foil sling, gently lift the pan and lower it into the cooker, on top of the trivet. Arrange the sling ends across the pan so they fit inside the pot. Secure the cooker lid and seal the Pressure Release.
Select "Manual" setting and set cooking time for 35 minutes at high pressure.
When cooking time is complete, allow a natural pressure release. Remove the lid and lift the cheesecake out of the pot. Transfer it to a cooling rack and uncover it, using a paper towel to soak up any moisture that may have collected on top.
Let cheesecake cool on the rack for 45-60 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, before removing it from the cake pan and transferring it to a serving plate or cake board.
When ready to serve, spread lemon curd over the top of the cheesecake. Garnish with lemon slices and/or lemon zest, and serve with whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
To freeze ricotta cheesecake: Place the plated, ungarnished cake (whole or pre-sliced) in the freezer, uncovered, and freeze until firm. Afterwards, wrap it in several layers of heavy duty aluminum foil, then seal it up it in a plastic freezer bag. Return it to the freezer and store for 3 to 4 months.To serve frozen cheesecake: Thaw the cheesecake (or just a slice!) in the refrigerator overnight. Be sure not to spread the lemon curd on the cheesecake until just prior serving.