Ricotta Cheesecake with Figs and Caramelized Walnuts is a fresh, no-bake cheesecake made with ricotta. This feast for the eyes and palate is topped with fresh figs and caramelized walnuts. Let yourself be enchanted by the good taste of fresh and ripe figs, which go perfectly with the cool ricotta cream.
This easy Italian ricotta cheesecake recipe is similar in style to an American cheesecake, but the use of ricotta cheese gives the cake a unique flavor and fluffy lightness.
The Ricotta Cheesecake with Figs with Caramelized Nuts is an egg-free, no-bake cheesecake recipe. Easy to do, even for beginners. For the base I used the classic butter biscuits, which I also mixed with ground walnuts and butter at room temperature. The walnuts in the base should also remind you of the taste that I chose for the decoration.
To avoid a flat taste of the cheese cream, I also added mascarpone and a creamy cream cheese to the ricotta. The cream makes the whole thing tasty and tender.
Using ricotta in cheesecake not only makes it lighter but also brings a different flavor. If you’ve ever been to Italy and tasted a classic Italian cake, this taste will remind you of it. If you love ricotta cheese and light cheesecakes then you will love this ricotta cake. Play with the amounts of ricotta cheesecake with figs by adding less cream cheese and increasing the amount of ricotta cheese accordingly.
For the decoration, instead of the classic caramelized figs, I preferred fresh figs and gave the walnuts that crunchy, irresistible and caramel-like touch! I didn’t add figs to the cheese cream to clearly separate the different flavors that only come together when you cut them and eat them. If you prefer otherwise, you can also hide a layer of fresh fruit under the cream cheese.
if you like our ricotta cheesecake, you might also be interested in these drink recipes:
- white chocolate cake
- Italian mimosa cake
- refreshing rhubarb rosemary lemonade
- Baba Ganoush recipe
- more cake recipes
More Italian taste?
If you’ve ever tried and loved authentic Italian ricotta cheesecake, this cake is already similar in taste and texture. But there are a few other things you can do to make it taste even more Italian. So you can replace half of the cookie crumbs, the bottom, with Italian amaretti or biscotti cookies. Increase the proportion of ricotta and use less cream cheese and mascarpone. And last but not least: add 1 tablespoon of amaretto liqueur to the filling or, if there are children, amaretto syrup.
Ricotta cheesecake with figs
Equipment
Ingredients
For the base:
- 250 G shortbread or other cookies
- 50 G Walnut kernels*
- 125 G butter room temperature
For the cheese cream:
- 500 G Ricotta*
- 250 G mascarpone
- 250 G Philadelphia
- zest of half a lemon
- 200 ml whipped cream
- 50 G powdered sugar
- 50 G honey
- 12 G gelatin
- 8-10 figs fresh
- 50 G Walnut kernels*
- 50 G sugar
Instructions
Prepare biscuit base
- In a blender, mix the walnuts and broken biscuits. Pulse until pulverized.
- Mix the softened butter with the biscuit-walnut mixture.
- Line the bottom of a 24 cm springform pan with baking paper. Spread the biscuit mixture on the bottom of the mold and press the mass firmly. Put in the fridge and let cool for half an hour.
Prepare cheese cream.
- Combine the ricotta, mascarpone and Philadelphia in a bowl. Add powdered sugar, honey and grated lemon zest. Whisk everything into a smooth cream.
- Soak the gelatine in cold water for about ten minutes. After soaking, heat 2-3 tablespoons of whipping cream and dissolve the squeezed gelatine in it. Let it cool down a bit, only then add the gelatine cream to the cream cheese and mix well.
- Whip the remaining whipped cream. Gently fold into the cream cheese.
- Pour the cheese cream on the prepared base and spread evenly. Let the mass set for at least 5 hours (overnight is better).
Caramelized Walnuts:
- Put the granulated sugar in a saucepan and melt it over low heat. When the melted sugar is golden brown, turn off the heat and add the walnuts to the caramel. Stir gently until all the walnuts are coated in caramel.
- Pour onto a plate lined with parchment paper and allow to cool completely.
Decorate cheesecake:
- When the nuts are cold, chop them with a knife.
- Cut the figs into wedges.
- Take the cake out of the springform pan and arrange it on a cake plate.
- Decorate with the figs and caramelized walnuts, if you like.
