The recipe is super simple and the filling is bursting with smooth silky chocolate flavors.
The crust can be made with chocolate or vanilla cookie crumbs and the filling is a rich and decadently smooth creamy mixture of ricotta, cream cheese, and sour cream.
After baking this scrumptious chocolate cheesecake, you can serve it plain, with raspberries, topped with a chocolate Amaretto ganache (recipe included), or just a dollop of freshly whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
I love all kinds of cheesecake, but the addition of almond flavoring really enhances the chocolate to a fabulous Italian-style gourmet flavor.
A simple elegant dessert fit for a King to serve at any function or dinner party with more than one wow given will be heard.
If you love cheesecake try our favorite summertime cheesecake Margarita Lime Cheesecake, it's so refreshing!
Just scroll down to the recipe card and print off this recipe.
Other Topping Suggestions
- any pie fillings for these are baked
- fresh blueberries, cherries, bananas, peaches, pineapple, berries, mango, mandarin oranges
- chopped candy bars just use your favorite (we love a toffee crunch or snicker bar)before baking
- instead of topping them with fruits after baking, use a food processor make a puree of any of the fruits mentioned and swirl using a teaspoon full into each cupcake
- sprinkle with mini chocolate chips on top of raw batter
- use a jarred ice cream fruit topping after baking
- use colorful sprinkles in the batter for a funfetti look
- change the batter flavor to any extract you like vanilla, lemon, orange, almond are all favorite
- use melted caramel, crushed toffee bars, and macadamia nuts for turtle cheesecakes
- chocolate fudge sauce with chopped pistachio nuts
- a mixture of nuts, raisins, chopped dates, figs, and a little cinnamon sugar
- whipped cream
- powdered sugar and berries
- chocolate shavings
- ganache white or chocolate
Tools You Will Need
- electric mixer
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- springform pan
- parchment paper
- spatula
- storage container
Pin for later
Smaller Cheesecakee
These can be made in smaller springform 6 inch pans found in specialty shops and frozen for those who don't want large cheesecake or using at a party with different topping suggestions
Cheesecake should always be stored in a refrigerator with any leftovers and can stay frozen up to 3 months wrapped tightly.
Hope your family and friends enjoy this recipe as much as we do, you can also leave this crustless and just bake the filling in the prepared pan.
Oh and one more thing just in case you would like to make a large cheesecake with graham cracker crust on the bottom, just use 1 and 1/2 cups graham cracker, cookies, or vanilla wafer crumbs (pulse in a food processor until finely ground) add 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 4 and 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, put that on the bottom of your springform pan and proceed with the same instructions, enjoy!
Italian Amaretto Chocolate Ricotta Cheesecake
Yield: 12
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 Hour
This is a Chocolate Ricotta Cheesecake with chocolate crumb crust with Amaretto.
Ingredients
- Crust:
- 1 cup chocolate crushed cookie crumbs like Oreos (or other chocolate cookies or use chocolate graham crackers, almond-flavored cookies, coconut flavored cookies, vanilla wafers, Lorna doones)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 4 Tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled
- Amaretto Chocolate Ricotta Filling:
- 2 - 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon Almond extract
- 1 tablespoon Amaretto Liquor
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Crust:
- Using a food processor, crush the crackers into fine crumbs
- Slowly add the melted butter and pulse a few more times.
- Press the crumbs in the bottom of a 9 and 1/2 inch springform pan lined with parchment paper.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees then lower it to 325 when the cheesecake has to cook.
- Filling:
- In a large mixing bowl, blend together, well-drained ricotta, sour cream cocoa, flavorings, beat till smooth and creamy looking, and well blended.
- Add in the eggs then sugar and flour, about 3 to 4 more minutes.
- Pour the mixture into a parchment-lined and lightly sprayed first with a cooking oil springform pan.
- Bake at 325 for around 45 minutes to an hour.
- Chill the cheesecake for at least 5 hours.
- Remove from the pan.
- Serving suggestions: drizzle with hot fudge ganache sauce, chocolate shavings, a dollop of whipped cream or serve plain dusted with powdered sugar and raspberries or another fruit you prefer.
- Amaretto Chocolate Ganache:
- 9 ounces dark or bittersweet chocolate
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Amaretto Liqueur or use Almond extract
- Place the chocolate into a medium bowl.
- Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot.
- When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth.
- Stir in the flavoring.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
415.80Fat (grams)
26.83Sat. Fat (grams)
15.28Carbs (grams)
36.20Fiber (grams)
1.31Net carbs
34.89Sugar (grams)
28.54Protein (grams)
8.07Sodium (milligrams)
214.72Cholesterol (grams)
94.61
Claudia, you are killing me! This is absolutely gorgeous - really, I don't think it could look any creamier.
ReplyDeleteOMG, this cake is mind-boggling! I love chocolate and his combination with amaretto. I'd be very happy to taste a slice of this luscious cheese cake. Bye, have a nice day
ReplyDeleteAnother delicious recipe!
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful cake Claudia. Very nice recipe, i love amaretto and cheesecake. i'm copying this very nice recipe.
ReplyDeleteCiao! This recipe looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteCan I go live on your porch or something? It's warm in FL, I won't eat that much - and if you could just pass me a little slice of this piece of heaven, I'll be good.
ReplyDeleteI've just baptised you Miss Princess Amaretto. You're spoiling me with these delicious desserts.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I'd add is maybe a little more Amaretto ;o))...do ya think it may be too much? LOL
Flavourful wishes,
Claudia
P.S. as soon as I have a chance...I'll be adding this recipe to my Amaretto post also ;)
This is the stuff dreams are made of!!
ReplyDeleteOh man, this looks so rich and wonderful. I want a bite right now!
ReplyDeletethis looks ridiculous! so much chocolatey goodness! all these amaretto desserts are making me jealous & hungry!
ReplyDeleteThis looks great!
ReplyDeleteOh heavens...I want a slice! Wonderful recipe :)
ReplyDeleteBrava! Brava! The photo looks DELICIOUS!
ReplyDeleteL
hippressurecooking.com
That cheesecake looks incredible! Nice job!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh my Gosh! Claudie! This looks amazing! How can you go wrong with Cream Cheese, Ricotta and heavy whipping cream in the same desert? wow! YUM!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful cheesecake Claudia. I love amaretto in chocolate! Hope you and your family had a nice Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteNow if only my two live-in Acolytes like ricotta style cheesecake....
ReplyDeleteI love cheesecake and it could not get any better with these two flavors of chocolate and Amaretto!
ReplyDeletegreat recipe,your cheesecake looks gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThis cheesecake is the ultimate indulgence! I love both chocolate and amaretto and together they sound magical. I can't wait to make this recipe.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous creamy cheesecake! I love the idea of the amarreto, and I love chocolate! Thanks for the recipe!
ReplyDeleteI am drooling over this cheesecake - it sounds just incredible! I can't wait to try it.
ReplyDeleteSounds so tasty - I really like using ricotta in baking.
ReplyDeleteThis recipe is 3 of my favorite flavors all rolled into one - cheesecake, chocolate and amaretto! I would eat way too much, but I am totally find with that!
ReplyDelete