Easy Italian Cheesecake Recipe

If the thought of making a homemade cheesecake makes you nervous, youre going to like this very simple and delicious recipe Im going to share with you. You will never be intimidated again by this popular dessert. People are afraid to make cheesecake from scratch after they hear the stories of tops cracking or browning, or the need to bake the cheesecake in a water bath. I wont lie cracking and browning can and do happen. However, they happen very rarely. Today Im sharing an Italian cheesecake recipe made with cottage cheese and Greek yogurt instead of ricotta and cream cheese. Cottage cheese, when blended, makes a great substitute in most recipes calling for ricotta. It looks the same and has a bit more tang. Greek yogurt adds a nice creamy richness to the cheesecake making this recipe lighter in calories and lower in fat. Especially compared to a New York style cheesecake most people are accustomed to, which calls for cream cheese, sour cream, and heavy cream. Do not let these ingredients derail you from trying this rich, dense, and delicious dessert that tastes as good as one made with cream cheese. It is made in a 9x13 dish and does not need a water bath. In this recipe the cheesecake filling can be made in a blender (great opportunity for your kids to help). The way I like to make my cheesecake filling is by adding the ingredients to a blender, blending until the filling is smooth. I then pour it into the baking dish that my crust has already been pre-baked. Then just bake and cool - no water bath. You can serve the cheesecake as is or top it off with a dollop of Greek yogurt that has been lightly sweetened and some fresh fruit. Once you make a homemade cheesecake there is no going back to store-bought. Enjoy!  

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Alice Currah is the publisher of popular food blog, Savory Sweet Life. Her approachable everyday recipes are accompanied by beautiful step by step photos and have been featured online at Martha Stewart, Real Simple, The Pioneer Woman, Epicurious, Bon Appetit, Saveur, iVillage and many more. In March 2010, Forbes.com featured Alice as one of Eight of the Very Best Food Bloggers. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.