Sous Vide Lemon Raspberry Ricotta Cheesecake

I love a good cheesecake but I gotta tell you… I really do not love a not-so-good cheesecake. There are lots of things that can go wrong with cheesecake: the top can crack, the crust can get soggy, the filling can be dry or cloying, and it’s heartbreaking to invest all that time and expectation on something that doesn’t work out. So, I tend to be skeptical when testing a new cheesecake recipe. I panic if I have to make one for someone since this is when all the things that could go wrong probably would go wrong, you know? Murphy’s Law. This is why I loved the idea of making the cheesecake filling sous vide-style using the Anova immersion circulator. It’s thrilling, actually! I love having the control of a low and slow cooking time without the worry of over-cooking. Not having to bake the filling in the oven eliminates any possibility of a dry cracked cheesecake, and I realized that I could push the fresh raspberries right into the top of the cake, adding to the fresh taste overall. Some of the recipes that I came across did not bake the crust. But the possibility that the filling would turn out deliciously creamy was compelling enough that baking the crust separately until it set would be worth the effort. I was right. Amazing. The sous vide lemon raspberry ricotta cheesecake filling was very creamy and light. My entire family loved it!

Author

Ronna O'Toole

Prep Time: 08:30

Recipe Time: 02:00

Temperature : 170.6F / 77C

Ingredients

• 9 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 7 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg yolk
• Finely grated zest of one lemon, plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed juice
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 cup graham cracker or digestive biscuit crumbs
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 pints fresh raspberries

Directions

1. Set the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 170ºF (77ºC). Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
2. Make the cheesecake filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, 2/3 cup sugar, cream cheese, Greek yogurt, heavy cream, eggs, egg yolk, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon flour, vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Transfer to a large zipper lock bag and seal using the water immersion technique.
3. Place the bag in the water bath and set the timer for 2 hours.
4. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, and pinch salt. Mix until well combined. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch (22-cm) spring form pan.
5. Bake until the crust is set and lightly browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Let cool.

Finishing Steps

1. When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath. Pat the bag dry. Cut off one corner of the bag and pipe the filling directly over the baked crust. Press the berries into the surface of the filling and transfer to the refrigerator. Chill for at least 8 hours to set before serving.