Creamy cannoli cheesecake impressed by the basic Italian dessert! This simple cheesecake recipe is completed with a candy mascarpone topping made with ricotta, cinnamon, and mini chocolate chips.
I like Italian cooking, particularly relating to desserts. Each time I move my native deli, I can’t resist treating myself to a contemporary cream-filled cannoli. Now, I’ve turned my favourite pastry right into a wealthy and tangy, irresistibly creamy cannoli cheesecake full of chocolate and spice.
I make this cannoli cheesecake from moist sour cream cheesecake baked in a buttery Graham cracker crust. After a brief stint within the fridge, the cheesecake is then layered with a candy and fluffy mascarpone and ricotta topping spiced with cinnamon and full of mini chocolate chips. Each chunk of this decadent selfmade cheesecake is healthier than the final!
Why You’ll Love This Simple Cheesecake Recipe
When you love cannolis, you’re going to LOVE this cannoli cheesecake. It’s actually so simple as that, however listed here are extra causes to be obsessed:
Wealthy and creamy. The filling for this baked cheesecake is certainly one of my all-time favourite recipes. It’s moist, ultra-rich, and completely balances the sweetness and tanginess of the components.
Cannoli-inspired taste. This cannoli cheesecake has all of it, proper right down to the ricotta and mascarpone cream, with loads of chocolate and cinnamon all through.
Spectacular, but simple. This cheesecake recipe could look like it has loads occurring, however I promise, you’re going to astound your self with your individual baking expertise. It’s simpler than it appears, and tastes unbelievable!
Substances You’ll Want
So, what goes right into a cannoli cheesecake? In addition to a complete lot of scrumptious, you’ll want a couple of key components. I define these under. Remember to scroll to the recipe card for the total quantities and recipe particulars.
Crust: For this cheesecake, we’ll put together and par-bake a fast and straightforward graham cracker crust. I embrace the total components and directions within the recipe card.
Eggs: The cheesecake calls for five eggs in complete (2 complete eggs plus 3 egg yolks), to bind the components and add richness and construction to the filling.
Heavy Cream, Cream Cheese, and Sugar: Collectively, these kind the physique of the cheesecake. Ensure that to make use of the blocks of full-fat cream cheese and never the spreadable type that is available in tubs.
Bitter Cream: My secret to additional moisture whether or not I’m making cheesecake or a daily cake. On this recipe, bitter cream yields an ultra-rich and tangy cheesecake filling.
Mini Chocolate Chips: You’ll stir these into the batter, for candy pops of semi-sweet chocolate all all through your cannoli cake.
For the Cannoli Topping
Mascarpone and Ricotta Cheese: This cheesecake topping mimics the filling inside a cannoli pastry, so contemporary mascarpone and ricotta are a should! Each of those are comfortable cheeses with a gentle taste, present in most main supermarkets. When you can’t discover mascarpone cheese, cream cheese will work in a pinch.
Powdered Sugar and Cinnamon: Powdered sugar, additionally referred to as confectioner’s sugar, provides sweetness and construction to the topping, with a pinch of floor cinnamon for taste. I additionally prefer to fold in further mini chocolate chips.
How you can Make Cannoli Cheesecake
This cannoli cheesecake appears fancy and tastes connoisseur, but it surely’s actually very simple to make (I promise!). First, we’ll prepared a easy but buttery and flavorful graham cracker crust. Get your oven preheating to 325ºF, and let’s get began:
Put together the pie crust. You may make this utilizing store-bought or homemade graham crackers. Pulse the graham crackers in a meals processor, then mix the effective crumbs with melted butter and the remainder of the crust components. Press the combination into the underside of a 9-inch springform pan and par-bake the crust at 325ºF for 8-10 minutes.
Put together a water bathtub. Subsequent, you’ll decrease the temperature of the oven to 250ºF and fill a big pan with a few half-inch of water. Place this into the oven to preheat.
Combine the cheesecake filling. Start by whisking collectively the eggs and yolks, vanilla, and heavy cream. In a separate bowl, beat the sugar and cream cheese, adopted by the bitter cream. Steadily add the egg combination, and lastly, fold within the chocolate chips. Switch the filling to your ready crust.
Bake. Earlier than putting the cheesecake into your water bathtub, remember to wrap the underside of the springform pan with foil to maintain the water out. Gently decrease the pan into the water after which bake the cheesecake at 250ºF for about 65-75 minutes.
Relaxation. When your cheesecake is ready on the edges, swap off the oven. Go away the cheesecake in there with the door cracked for an additional hour or so. Permitting the cheesecake to chill down step by step is essential to stopping cracks and sinking.
Chill. As soon as your cheesecake is out of the oven, take away the foil and use a knife to fastidiously loosen the cake from the edges of the pan. Cowl the cheesecake and place it within the fridge. You’ll need to let it chill for at the very least 6 hours, or in a single day in order that it fully units.
Add the topping. Quick ahead a couple of hours, and also you’re prepared to arrange the cannoli topping! Mix the mascarpone and ricotta with powdered sugar and cinnamon. As soon as clean, stir in further mini chocolate chips, after which unfold the topping generously excessive of the chilled cheesecake.
Ideas for Success
When you’re new to baking cheesecakes, the concept might sound intimidating. With a couple of useful ideas, although, you’re going to ace this cannoli cheesecake:
Use full-fat components. Ensure that to make use of full-fat heavy cream, cream cheese, and bitter cream. This can yield the creamiest cheesecake filling.
Ricotta cheese and mascarpone can maintain numerous liquid. It varies, but when your cheeses are on the runny facet, you’ll need to drain them first for the most effective outcomes. Add the cheese to a effective mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth, place it over a bowl, and let it drain within the fridge in a single day. In case your store-bought cheese is dry sufficient, you may skip draining it.
When you neglect to preheat your water bathtub prematurely, no worries. You’ll be able to skip that step by including boiling water to your pan as an alternative.
Don’t open the oven door. Resist the temptation to sneak a peek at your cheesecake whereas it’s baking! After a bit over an hour, it ought to be set on the edges whereas the center continues to be a bit wobbly. The filling will proceed to set because the cheesecake cools.
Go away the cheesecake within the oven after it’s baked, with the door cracked for at the very least one hour. This prevents the highest of the cheesecake from cracking (the results of sudden temperature modifications).
Chill the cheesecake earlier than including the topping. Not solely does this be certain that the cheesecake is cooled fully, but it surely additionally helps the filling to be absolutely set.
Widespread Questions
Do I would like to empty the ricotta cheese for the topping?
When you discover that your ricotta or mascarpone cheese has numerous extra liquid, it is going to have to be drained earlier than you add it to the topping. This ensures that your cannoli topping doesn’t prove watery. On this case, enable the cheese to empty in a single day. See my tip above for particulars.
How can I inform when the cheesecake is completed?
Your cheesecake is baked when it’s calmly golden on the edges, with a slight jiggle within the middle (it shouldn’t be free or moist, although). Watch out that you simply don’t overbake it!
Why did the highest of my cheesecake crack?
Cracking can typically occur should you don’t use a water bathtub, the cheesecake is overbaked, or if there’s a sudden change in temperature. The excellent news is, if the highest cracks, you may at all times cowl it with chocolate ganache or whipped cream and your cake will nonetheless be scrumptious.
Why did my cannoli topping prove runny?
In case your mascarpone topping is watery, this may very well be as a result of the cheeses have been too moist earlier than they have been combined with the opposite components. See my notes above about draining.
Variations and Topping Concepts
I garnish my cannoli cheesecake with mini cannolis from my native bakery. Be at liberty to get inventive! Listed here are some simpler concepts to attempt:
Whipped cream. I like piping swirls of whipped cream over the topping, in between the mini cannoli pastries.
Chocolate ganache. You’ll be able to even give the highest of this cheesecake a drizzle with pourable ganache or selfmade caramel sauce.
Different garnish choices are shaved or chopped chocolate, contemporary berries, chopped nuts or pistachios, maraschino cherries, and crumbled cookies (attempt these Italian ricotta cookies!).
Retailer this cannoli cheesecake lined tightly within the fridge for 3-5 days. The graham cracker crust will begin to soften a bit over time.
Can I Freeze Cannoli Cheesecake?
I often don’t advocate freezing selfmade cheesecakes as a result of the dairy tends to separate as soon as it’s thawed, impacting the feel. Nonetheless, should you completely should freeze it, ensure to wrap or retailer your cheesecake hermetic. It’s finest to thaw and revel in inside 1-2 months of freezing.
Baked cannoli cheesecake is a straightforward recipe impressed by the basic Italian dessert! This creamy selfmade cheesecake is completed with a candy mascarpone topping full of cinnamon and mini chocolate chips.
Crust:
16 full-sized graham crackers (or 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon floor cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
5 tablespoons butter, melted
Cheesecake:
2 massive eggs
3 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup heavy cream
20 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups bitter cream, room temperature
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Cannoli Topping:
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup low moisture ricotta cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon floor cinnamon
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Elective Garnish: Mini cannolis and/or whipped cream
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Crust: In a blender or meals processor, pulverize your graham crackers right into a effective crumb. Switch the crumbs to a big bowl. Combine within the sugar, salt, cinnamon, and melted butter till evenly mixed.
Press the graham cracker combination into the underside and up the edges of a 9-inch springform pan.
Bake the crust for 8 – 10 minutes till calmly golden. Take away from the oven and funky.
Cheesecake: Scale back oven temperature to 250°F.
To prep your water bathtub, place a big pan full of 1/2-inch water into the oven when you put together the filling. You’ll be able to skip this step by filling the pan with boiling water.
In a medium bowl whisk collectively the two eggs, 3 yolks, vanilla, and heavy cream till mixed. Put aside.
Within the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the cream cheese and sugar collectively till simply mixed. Add within the bitter cream and blend on low for 30 seconds, scraping the edges of the bowl as mandatory.
Flip the mixer as much as medium and slowly add within the egg combination, scraping the edges of the bowl as mandatory. As soon as the combination is mixed, stir within the chocolate chips, and pour the filling into the graham cracker crust.
Wrap the underside of your springform pan in aluminum foil to stop water from leaking into your pan. Place the cheesecake into the recent water bathtub and place within the oven for 65 – 75 minutes, or till the sides of the cheesecake are set and the middle is barely free. Flip off the oven, crack the oven door, and permit the cheesecake to stay within the oven for an additional 60 minutes.
Take away the cheesecake from the oven. Take away the foil from the underside of the pan and permit any extra water to empty. Run a knife across the sides of the crust to loosen it. Cowl the cheesecake with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for six hours, or in a single day.
Cannoli Topping: In a medium bowl combine collectively the mascarpone, ricotta, powdered sugar, and cinnamon till clean. Stir within the chocolate chips.
Unfold the topping on prime of the cheesecake. Garnish with mini cannoli and whipped cream if desired.
