They say you should never grocery shop without a list but at the farmers’ market anything goes. I browse and taste until I’ve found sweet, ripe fruit that I like and figure out what to do when I get home. On a recent trip, I was drawn to a table blanketed with green and purple figs. The Kadotas (green ones) had the most beautiful pink interior and they were perfectly sweet. I knew I wanted to use them fresh vs. cooked, so they ended up being the topping for these cheesecake bars.
I used a combination of ricotta and cream cheese for freshness and lightness. The tanginess goes so well with the sweet figs and honey.Make sure they’re both at room temperature so you end up with a silky, smooth cheesecake.
Ricotta Cheesecake Bars with Fresh Figs and Honey
Serves 8
Graham Crust:
1 1/2 cups honey graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling: (everything at room temp)
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz whole milk ricotta, drained
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice
6 large fresh figs, quartered
Honey for drizzling
Directions:
For the crust:
Preheat an oven to 350 F.
Line an 8″ square baking pan with 2 long rectangular strips of parchment, criss-crossed, on the bottom and up the sides with a 2″ overhang so you can easily lift the cheesecake once baked. To prepare a water bath, have a 13 x 9″ pan or casserole dish ready.
In a bowl, combine the graham crumbs, sugar, salt and melted butter until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs in an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool to room temperature, on a cooling rack.
For the filling:
Lower the oven to 325 F. Boil a pot or kettle of water for the water bath.
In a food processor, add the cream cheese, ricotta, sugar and salt and blend until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time and process just until combined. Add the heavy cream, vanilla and lemon juice. Blend till combined. Pour the batter into the cooled crust. With an offset spatula, smooth out the top.
Place the cheesecake pan into the 13 x 9″ pan. Place the pans on the middle rack of the oven. Slowly pour the hot water into the 13 x 9″ pan, careful not to get any in the cheesecake pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the cheesecake is firm but has a slight jiggle in the middle.
Turn off the oven. Leave the door ajar, I use a wooden spoon to keep it open, and let the cheesecake cool inside the oven until it’s at room temperature, approximately 3 hours. Remove the cheesecake pan from the water. Cover the top with plastic wrap, not letting it touch the surface of the cheesecake. Place in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight until chilled.
For assembly:
Run a paring knife around the edge of the cheesecake to ensure it’s loosened. Then using the overhanging parchment, lift the cheesecake from the pan onto a cutting board. Cut into 6 rectangles. Top with figs and a drizzle of honey.