Crustless Ricotta Cheesecake With Canned Peaches

This crustless ricotta cheesecake with canned peaches is a lovely alternative to cream cheese cheesecake. Italian ricotta cheese gives this crustless cheesecake a lighter texture. Canned peaches give some extra flavour and the absence of a biscuit base makes this crustless ricotta cheesecake gluten free.

Crustless ricotta cheesecake with canned peaches. No flour and no biscuit base make this ricotta cheesecake gluten free. The use of ricotta gives a wonderful light texture.

Who doesn’t love a slice of cheesecake? Although I have said many times that cream cheese-based New York style cheesecake is my all time favourite, I’m always happy to make exceptions. Truth be told, I really like all sorts of cheesecakes. My grandma and my mom have been baking cheesecakes throughout the course of my whole life and I grew up eating them. Only, it was not the New York type of cheesecakes, nor had they any cream cheese inside.

Cheesecake in my family is often crustless and it features fruits inside. So in this post I’m sharing a family recipe for crustless ricotta cheesecake with canned peaches.

More fruit cheesecakes? Try this no-bake raspberry cheesecake.

crustless ricotta cheesecake with canned peaches sliced
Gently placed over the cake batter before baking, the peach bits should not sink to the bottom.

crustless ricotta cheesecake with canned peaches

Crustless cheesecake recipe: a family tradition

This crustless cheesecake recipe with canned peaches finds its origins in Poland. You may find it strange for a Polish cake to be ricotta based and your suspicions are very legit. Ricotta is an Italian cheese, and although it is now pretty common to find ricotta cheese in Poland, it was not when the Polish people developed their own cheesecake recipe.

As you may know I grew up in Italy with a Polish mother who loves to bake. As rich as the ingredient availability in Italy may be, one thing that my mom could never find when trying to replicate her mother’s cheesecake at home was the right cheese.

Many variations of cheesecake exist, so ricotta cheesecake in Italy was nothing new. But my mom was adamant on trying to make her own Polish recipe. Through trial and error she figured out the perfect equation: 75% ricotta and 25% mascarpone. Two very Italian cheeses that together could yield something pretty similar to Polish sernik, the cheesecake she used to eat back home.

crustless ricotta cheesecake with canned peaches
It is perfectly normal that this crustless ricotta cheesecake may crack on the top.

crustless ricotta cheesecake with canned peaches sliced

Sernik: Polish cheesecake

This crustless ricotta cheesecake recipe is developed after Polish cheesecake sernik. In fact, this is a proper sernik recipe, just made with a different cheese. Sernik is a beloved cake in the Polish culinary tradition and many variations of this recipe exist, based on regionality. Such variations may include a crust, which can be featured only on the bottom or also on the top, various toppings as well as the use of various fruits. The most basic recipe often calls for raisins; using canned peaches is a fancier alternative. A common feature is obviously the fact that sernik is a cheese-based cake and the cheese used for Polish cheesecake is a white cheese known as twaróg.

Twaróg is also known as ser biały , aka “white cheese”. It is Poland’s farmer’s cheese, or quark – an acid-set cheese, that is to say a cheese where milk coagulation happens thanks to acidity, as opposed to using enzymes (rennet). Polish twaróg has a rather compact texture and is fairly dry. Traditional Polish sernik recipes call for the use of some heavy cream to provide some creaminess and fat.

My crustless cheesecake recipe uses a mixture of ricotta and mascarpone, since it was adapted in Italy. Ricotta is more moist and airy than Polish white cheese, so mascarpone – a fat and compact creamy cheese – is added instead of heavy cream.

More Polish food to discover in this guide to Polish food in Krakow.

crustless ricotta cheesecake with canned peaches sliced

Crustless ricotta cheesecake ingredients list and method

  • 750 g ricotta cheese
  • 250 g mascarpone cheese
  • 200 g granulated sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 lemon
  • 40 g + 1 tsp potato starch (divided)
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 200 g canned peaches

Combine the ricotta and the mascarpone in a bowl. Crack in the eggs, add the sugar, potato starch and vanilla extract. Mix at medium speed with a hand mixer for about 5 minutes, so that the sugar dissolves in the mixture. Zest and then juice the lemon. Add the zest from the whole lemon as well as 40 ml of lemon juice to the batter and stir it in.

Pour the batter into a springform pan lined with a sheet of parchment paper on the bottom. Drain the peaches (save the syrup), dice them and gently place them on top of the cake. Bake the cake in the preheated oven at 150°C for 1:15 hours. After the baking time is over, turn off the oven but leave the cake in for another half hour without opening the oven.

The peaches are likely to dry out, so in order to keep a fresh look it’s good to make a simple glaze to lock in the natural moisture of the fruits. In a small saucepan combine 150 ml of the preserving syrup of the canned peaches with 1 tsp of potato starch. Stir to dissolve lumps and bring to a boil; the mixture will thicken. Remove from the heat as soon as the glaze reaches boiling temperature. Gently spread over the top of the cake with a pastry brush, filling the cracks that may have appeared when the cake set.

 

crustless ricotta cheesecake with canned peaches
Besides filling the cracks, the top glaze gives this cake a lovely finish that keeps the peaches fresh and moist.

crustless ricotta cheesecake with canned peaches sliced
This crustless ricotta cheesecake does well in room temperature on the first day, but needs to be refrigerated afterwards. I actually like it better at room temperature, or just before it’s reaching room temperature and it’s still somewhat warm.

Crustless ricotta cheesecake with canned peaches. No flour and no biscuit base make this ricotta cheesecake gluten free. The use of ricotta gives a wonderful light texture.

crustless ricotta cheesecake with canned peaches sliced
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5 from 9 votes

Crustless ricotta cheesecake with canned peaches

Inspired by Polish cheesecake sernik, this crustless ricotta cheesecake is a delightful cake with a lovely light texture and juicy bits of peaches here and there. Featuring no flour at all, this crustless cheesecake is naturally gluten free.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Polish
Keyword crustless cheesecake, polish-style cheesecake, ricotta cheesecake
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Resting time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 8 people
Calories 476kcal
Author Eva | Electric Blue Food

Ingredients

  • 750 g ricotta cheese
  • 250 g mascarpone cheese
  • 200 g granulated sugar
  • 5 eggs (room temperature)
  • 40 g + 1 tsp potato starch (divided)
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 lemon
  • 200 g canned peaches in light syrup

Instructions

  • Combine the ricotta, mascarpone, sugar, whole eggs, 40 g of potato starch and vanilla extract in a bowl and mix with a hand mixer at medium speed for about 5 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved to the touch.
  • Zest and juice the lemon. Add the zest from the whole lemon and 40 ml of the juice to the batter and stir in. Drain the peaches (save the light syrup for later) and dice them.
  • Pour the batter into a springform pan lined with a sheet of baking paper. Gently place the peach bits over the top of the cake making sure not to press them down. Ideally you want them to stay on the top of the cake.
  • Bake in the preheated oven at 150°C for 75 minutes. When the time is up, turn off the oven and leave the cake inside without opening the oven door for an extra half hour. This will help the cake to set.
  • In a small saucepan combine 150 ml of the light syrup from the canned peaches and 1 tsp of potato starch. Stir to combine and set on medium heat. When it reaches boiling temperature, take away from the heat. Gently spread this glaze on top of the cake with a pastry brush. The glaze will lock the moisture in preventing the peaches from drying up.

Notes

Please notice that the nutritional information is only meant to be used as a guideline.
Nutrition Facts
Crustless ricotta cheesecake with canned peaches
Amount Per Serving
Calories 476 Calories from Fat 261
% Daily Value*
Fat 29g45%
Saturated Fat 17g106%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 181mg60%
Sodium 138mg6%
Potassium 255mg7%
Carbohydrates 37g12%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 28g31%
Protein 17g34%
Vitamin A 1088IU22%
Vitamin C 9mg11%
Calcium 262mg26%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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26 Comments

  1. Kylee May 8, 2019 at 17:56

    5 stars
    I have never had a crustless cheesecake before, but this is the one I’ll be starting with!

    Reply
    1. Eva May 8, 2019 at 19:56

      I hope you’ll love it as much as I do!

      Reply
  2. Heather May 8, 2019 at 22:17

    5 stars
    I have a can of peaches in my cupboard that needs a home. I think I found it! And love that’s it crustless as well (makes me a little less guilty haha)…can’t wait to try!

    Reply
    1. Eva May 9, 2019 at 11:32

      Yes, you’re gonna love it! It’s the perfect place to fit canned peaches. And yeah, little less guilt thanks to the absence of a crust. It’s perfect!

      Reply
  3. Veena Azmanov May 9, 2019 at 06:01

    5 stars
    A lover of cheese always and peaches are the best seasonal fruits. Love both the combinations to making this cheese cake. I am drooling.

    Reply
    1. Eva May 9, 2019 at 11:40

      Thank you Veena, I can confirm this is a wonderful combination.

      Reply
  4. Kelly May 10, 2019 at 13:56

    5 stars
    Ricotta cheesecake with canned peaches sounds SO much better than having to peel and cut into fresh peaches! Like it would take half the time…and still, be completely divine!!! This will be perfect for summer entertaining. Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
    1. Eva May 13, 2019 at 08:27

      That’s true! And also, I just love canned peaches. It’s maybe the extra sugar kick, but I just can’t help loving them.

      Reply
  5. Sharon May 11, 2019 at 03:22

    5 stars
    This is such a wonderful dessert that’s perfect for the warmer weather. I love it!

    Reply
    1. Eva May 13, 2019 at 08:27

      Thank you Sharon!

      Reply
  6. Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer May 11, 2019 at 23:35

    What a different and unique recipe! I love the addition of canned peaches with the cheeses!

    Reply
    1. Eva May 13, 2019 at 08:27

      Thank you Lori! This combination is not very popular outside of Poland, but it’s a very good one!

      Reply
  7. Anne May 12, 2019 at 15:54

    5 stars
    Ricotta cheesecake is so delicious and light! I love the addition of the peaches.

    Reply
    1. Eva May 13, 2019 at 08:28

      Thank you Anne!

      Reply
  8. Jo May 12, 2019 at 19:51

    5 stars
    This is such a interesting cheesecake and it looks delicious! I love that you made it crust-less and with peaches, something i’ve never tried before and I look forward to trying it soon.

    Reply
    1. Eva May 13, 2019 at 08:28

      Thank you very much Jo! Hope you’ll enjoy!

      Reply
  9. Julie May 12, 2019 at 20:50

    Oooooh this might be right up my ally! I don’t like cream cheese in desserts so I’ve never cared for typical cheesecakes, but I do love ricotta. What a perfect alternative!

    Reply
    1. Eva May 13, 2019 at 08:29

      You should definitely try, the outcome has quite a different texture from classic cream cheese based cheesecake. Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  10. Neha May 13, 2019 at 04:23

    Wow this one looks like an ultimate crustless cheesecake recipe! I love peaches and this would be so good on a hot summer day.

    Reply
    1. Eva May 13, 2019 at 08:29

      It’s such a delightful dessert in the summer!

      Reply
  11. Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness May 13, 2019 at 04:26

    5 stars
    This cheesecake looks like something my mom used to make when I was a kid. Loving this nostalgia!!

    Reply
    1. Eva May 13, 2019 at 08:30

      Sweet! It’s amazing how food can really bring us back in time.

      Reply
  12. Jagruti Dhanecha May 13, 2019 at 07:45

    5 stars
    I have never had or seen crustless cheesecake, this sounds so delicious and peaches make all the difference in this recipe. A perfect summer dessert to keep.

    Reply
    1. Eva May 13, 2019 at 08:31

      Thank you so much! Indeed a great option for a summer day.

      Reply
  13. Dee November 4, 2021 at 01:26

    could I please get the ingredients in US American English instead of grams? I would like to try this recipe but
    I don’t know Liters, grams, etc.
    Thank you in advance for your help. This looks absolutely delicious and I love Ricotta Cheese!

    Reply
    1. Eva November 4, 2021 at 10:43

      Hi Dee! Fixed, now you can see the option “US customary” under the ingredient list in the recipe card, so you can just click that and it will convert it for you. Hope you enjoy this cake as much as I do!

      Reply

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