Mini Guava Ricotta Cheesecake

Seriously, there is guava coming out of my ears.  My Mom’s tree is so laden that every time I see her she implores me to take another bag (13-14 craggy, green/yellow fruit) off her hands.  I’ve made a guava simple syrup for drinks, two batches of guava jam, and so much guava puree that I’m almost beginning to resent this fruit.  This Mini Guava Ricotta Cheesecake may help me past that feeling…

I used coconut wafer cookies (Trader Joe’s brand) and some shredded coconut to make a sweet tropical crust, but you could easily use graham cracker crumbs, nilla wafers or chocolate wafers instead.

The filling comes together pretty quickly in a food processor.  Then simply whip some egg whites to stiff peaks before folding them into the batter.  Ricotta cheesecake isn’t quite as smooth as cream cheese varieties, but it tastes lighter and in the summertime, I prefer it to the standard.

Layer the guava puree with the cheesecake batter in two additions and use a wooden skewer to swirl the guava into a pretty pattern.

Many cheesecakes require a water bath to maintain an even cooking temperature all the way through and prevent doming and cracking, but those rustic qualities are part of the charm of this cheesecake, which is puffy and light straight from the oven.

Let the cheesecake cool completely before refrigerating it for several hours (or overnight.)  When you remove the collar, you’ll notice that the cake slumps in on itself a little, as if holding up that golden crown was just too much to bear.  That’s ok, it’s the taste that matters, right?

A puddle of leftover guava puree (I’ve got tons of it) is a luscious sauce to drag a forkful of cheesecake through.  It’s a delicious finish to dinner with a cup of strong espresso.

Mini Guava Ricotta Cheesecake

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 222 kcal

A tropical indulgence!

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Ingredients

For Crust:

• 1 cup coconut wafer cookie crumbs or can use chocolate, graham crackers or nilla wafers
• 2 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 tablespoons flaked coconut

For Cheesecake Filling:

• 3 extra large eggs separated -- see instructions
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 15-ounce container whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 lemon zested
• 1 cup guava puree divided

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°.

   Spray a 6 1/2" springform pan (with 3" sides) with vegetables spray.  Set aside.

2. Add cookie crumbs, butter and coconut in a small bowl and stir to combine.  Pour cookie mixture into the springform pan and press the crumbs into the bottom and going up the sides of the pan.  Bake for 10 minutes until set, remove from oven and cool.

3. Separate the eggs - placing the yolks into a bowl of a food processor and the egg whites into a large bowl.

4. Add the sugar and vanilla to the egg yolks and process until thick and creamy - about 1 minute.  Add the ricotta cheese and lemon zest and process an additional 30 seconds or so, until smooth.  Transfer the ricotta mixture to a large bowl and set aside.

5. Beat the egg whites to form stiff peaks.  Add half the egg whites to the ricotta mixture and carefully fold them into the batter.  Add remaining beaten egg whites and fold into the batter.

6. Ladle half of the ricotta mixture into the springform pan.  Add two tablespoons guava puree and swirl with a toothpick.  Top with remaining ricotta batter and smooth over.  Drizzle 2 tablespoons guava puree over the cheesecake mixture and drag a toothpick through the puree to form swirls and designs.  

7. Lay a piece of parchment paper over a baking sheet.  Set the springform pan in the center and bake for 1 hour or until the cheesecake begin to pull away from the sides.  

8. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight.

9. To serve:  Remove the collar from the springform pan.  Slice the cheesecake into 6 wedges and plate them each with two tablespoons each guava puree drizzled over each slice.

Nutrition Facts

Mini Guava Ricotta Cheesecake

Amount Per Serving

Calories 222 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 10g 15%

Saturated Fat 5g 25%

Cholesterol 116mg 39%

Sodium 176mg 7%

Potassium 138mg 4%

Total Carbohydrates 29g 10%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 19g

Protein 4g 8%

Vitamin A 5.9%

Vitamin C 23.5%

Calcium 3.1%

Iron 6.8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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