I love the light texture of a good ricotta cheesecake but by adding mascarpone to the mixture, the cheesecake becomes creamier while remaining very light. I made this light cheesecake yesterday for our Easter dessert and really was pleased how it turned out. It was moist, light, with just a hint of lemon flavor. Along with lemon zest, I used Fiori di Sicilia, which I buy at King Arthur flour. I love the combination of citrus and vanilla in this extract, and use it often in a lot of my baked goods. If you do not have Fiori di Sicilia, you can use half a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and half a teaspoon of lemon extract. This is a cheesecake that can be made crustless as in the version I made yesterday, or you can add your favorite graham or pastry crust. If your ricotta cheese is very wet, drain it in a sieve over a bowl for an hour or so which will ensure a creamier cheesecake. This cheesecake is delicious simply dusted with powdered sugar, drizzled with a fruit puree, or topped with fresh berries as shown in my photos.
Lemon Ricotta & Mascarpone Cheesecake
