This Chocolate Ricotta cheesecake is super creamy and moist, with a deep chocolate flavor. It’s spongier than your normal cheesecake due to the Ricotta, and it makes it so special!

Using Ricotta in this recipe

Instead of your usual cheesecake, this chocolate cheesecake uses Bellwether Farms whole milk basket Ricotta. It has a pillowy and soft consistency, and it’s used in many Italian cheesecake recipes.

To retain the creamy texture, I combined the ricotta with Bellwether Farms Creme Fraiche, an award-winning French-style cultured cream with a creamy and tart flavor.

I was surprised by its richness and how luscious it was! you can try swapping any recipe that calls for sour cream with it for a whole new depth and flavor.

Thanks to Bellwether Farms for sponsoring this post! all thoughts and opinions are my own

Tips and Tricks for making the perfect cheesecake

Drain Ricotta:

First, for this cheesecake, you’ll need to drain your Ricotta overnight. To do this, line a strainer or colander with paper towels and place it over a bowl to catch the liquid. The strainer shouldn’t be touching the base of the bowl.

Next, spoon your ricotta on top, cover it with a paper towel, and place something heavy on top (any can or jar should work).

Lastly, refrigerate overnight while draining and let come at room temperature before making your cheesecake.

Ingredients at room temperature:

Let ingredients sit out for 2 hours to let them come at room temperature. This includes your ricotta, creme fraiche, and eggs.

Also, if you’re in a rush, submerge your eggs in warm water and it will help speed the process.

Don’t rush it!

To prevent cheesecake from cracking, you will need to bake it at a low temperature for a very long time, be patient!

What to do?

Extreme changes in temperature could cause cracks in your cheesecake. For that reason, after your cheesecake is baked, turn off your oven and use a wooden spoon to leave the door slightly ajar.

Second, let your cheesecake cool for one hour inside the oven, then take it out and let it cool for one more hour over a wire rack.

Next, cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. If your cheesecake still ends with cracks, don’t worry! they’ll be covered with ganache later.

Lastly, top it with any seasonal fruit at hand, and for cleaner slices, run warm water over a sharp knife and cut. Repeat this process for each slice. Tedious but so worth it!

Follow this link for more cheesecake recipes, or take a look at the links below to see some of my favorite cheesecake-inspired recipes: