Ricotta and Almond Cake

I love cheesecakes, but i am tired of having the same old classic new york cheesecake time after time.

Gingersnap crust with cream cheese filling? Sure it's delicious, but after a while, aren't your taste buds just crying of any other cake, any other cheesecake?

This is unusual cheesecake number 2. Previously, I tried a Japanese sponge cheesecake. This one is an Italian recipe, and calls for ricotta cheese.

Like mascarpone in northern-Italian cuisine, Ricotta is a favorite component of many Italian desserts, such as cheesecakes and cannoli. There are also kinds of cookies that include ricotta as an ingredient.

We had a tub of expiring ricotta in the fridge, so what could be a better excuse than this to experiment with unusual cheesecake no. 2?

A ricotta and almond cake. If you're out of almonds, walnuts work as well. Actually, the original recipe called for walnuts, i just used all of mine making my coconut maple granola.

Japanese cotton cheesecake

I hate it when i have to walk past bread talk every time i go to the mall.
You know why?

Because every time--EVERY TIME--i catch a glimpse of their cotton cheesecakes and i just die.
right there.
In a public place. i die.

Well, not literally. But inside.
Why i never BUY one?

Because by that time i would have already spent about 99% of my savings on topshop stuff. More accurately--ONE topshop item. gosh things are getting pricey, aren't they?

Then i came up with the GENIUS idea that i would make my mom buy me all the ingredients so i can MAKE my own. That way i get to stuff my face all free of charge!

SO here is the ultimate sponge-cake-like, light, cheesy, Japanese-inspired cheesecake that i have been obsessing over for about nearly a year. It's about damn time.

This is what happens when a cheesecake meets a sponge cake. ever want all that cheesy goodness in a less dense, not-so-rich cake?

Of course you do.
Now you have the solution so don't dilly dally and get your parents to invest in some quality cream cheese.

And because i couldn't resist...

Quiche

Who doesn't like a eggy, warm, creamy quiche?
You can adapt the above recipe to make smaller-sized quiches. Just reduce the baking time. I make about 12 mini pies that baked for about 30 minutes.

I strongly recommend the feta cheese, onions and spinach combination. Great saltiness of the feta with the sweet onions and chewy spinach made me MELT.

If you come up with any other great quiche-combinations, let me know! i am always ready to try out another great mix-n-match quiche.

If you are looking for the perfect quiche crust, try the savoury version of my pie crust recipe here.