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Pasticceria Papa Baked Ricotta Cheesecake | The Best Copycat Recipe

Here’s my Papa Baked Ricotta Cheesecake copycatrecipe that, seriously, comes this close to the real thing, you won’t want to stop at one slice! Cooked by many, feel free to browse through the comments for additional tips and feedback. 

Pasticceria Papa Inspired Baked Ricotta Cheesecake

Where to get the original Pasticceria Papa Cheesecake?

A visit to Pasticceria Papa is a must when in Sydney, because their Baked Ricotta Cheesecake is… OUT OF THIS WORLD! 

The original Pasticceria Papa Torta Di Ricotta Cheesecake is so good, it has been voted Sydney’s best cheesecake by the SMH.

Why is the Papa Cheesecake so good?

Now, if you’ve ever had a slice of the original cheesecake, you would know that the pastry that envelopes the lightest, most fluffiest and creamiest ricotta filling EVER, seems to be made out of one piece…

The ricotta filling is incredibly light and fluffy, heavenly almost. And the whole thing is quite low in sugar too, which is something you don’t normally see with patisserie cakes.

Since I love reverse-engineering my favourite foods, I knew I had to make this cheesecake at home!

Pasticceria Papa Inspired Baked Ricotta Cheesecake

Tips for making Papa Baked Ricotta Cheesecake copycat recipe

So, there were two challenges with making this cheesecake. Firstly how to make the pastry wrap around the whole cheesecake – top, bottom and sides, seamlessly.

The best money mindset training

The second challenge came from the fact that the recipe is a better-guarded secret than Colonel’s 11 herbs and spices, which meant that it would take some guesswork. I tackled the first problem by using the fail-proof slice pastry that reminds me of the one used by Papa.

Pasticceria Papa Inspired Baked Ricotta Cheesecake

In terms of the ricotta filling, I had a basic idea of what might go in it: ricotta, obviously. Eggs, but not too many, beaten into fluff – yes, that I knew from Mum’s Polish cheesecakes. The ratios would take some guesswork, and a lot of expensive ingredients, I thought.

Pasticceria Papa Inspired Baked Ricotta Cheesecake

Luckily, the wonderful Lorraine from Not Quite Nigella has done some of the Papa groundwork before me. She had already baked an Italian Ricotta cheesecake based on a recipe featured in Maeve O’Meara’s Italian Food Safari.

It was good, but since the pastry was a shortcrust one, it was not suitable for the lid. Crumbs were flying everywhere with each attempt to slice the cake. You see, the original pastry is almost a little chewy… I also found the filling to be a little too eggy. One egg didn’t work either, so I settled on two.

Pasticceria Papa Inspired Baked Ricotta Cheesecake

Apart from reducing the amount of sugar and eggs a little further, adding vanilla extract and changing the ratio of ricotta and cream cheese, I added the famous “lid” to the cheesecake as well. It was as seamless and as light and fluffy as I had hoped for!

And so, finally, it all came together the third time around although I must say the second attempt was quite close too, but the lid didn’t quite stick and the one egg filling was a tad too firm.

Pasticceria Papa Inspired Baked Ricotta Cheesecake

Now, you may be concerned about the amount of fat in this recipe because all ingredients are full-fat. Don’t be. After all, if you are making a cheesecake, you might as well make it the best one there is and that means butter, full-fat cream, cream cheese and ricotta. No low-fat shortcuts here.

Pasticceria Papa Inspired Baked Ricotta Cheesecake

And trust me, you won’t want to stop at just one slice! PS I think they have recently tweaked the recipe a little so this is more like the original cake. 

Pasticceria Papa Inspired Baked Ricotta Cheesecake
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Pasticceria Papa Ricotta Cheesecake | A Replica

The Pasticceria Papa Ricotta Cheesecake Replica is the lightest and most fluffy cheesecake you'll ever make and in all seriousness, not that hard to make. Best made a day ahead to allow for proper chilling. All ingredients should be at room temperature BUT the pastry may need extra 5 minutes chilling if you are making the cake on a warm day. You will need a 20cm diameter (6cm high) springform cake tin. Reader suggestion: I find the best flour to use for the pastry is the Italian OO.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients

For the Cheesecake Pastry:

  • 100 g butter softened
  • 1/4 cup caster sugar or unrefined golden caster sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup fresh cream
  • 2 cups plain flour
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • extra butter and flour for prepping the tin

For the Ricotta Cheesecake Filling (at room temperature):

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/8 cup caster sugar or unrefined golden caster sugar such as Billington's
  • 250 g full fat cream cheese (I used Philadelphia)
  • 1/8 cup caster sugar or unrefined golden caster sugar such as Billington's
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup full fat fresh cream
  • 500 g full fat ricotta

To serve:

  • 1 tbsp icing sugar, ground up natvia or unrefined icing sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon powder

Instructions

To make the Cheesecake Pastry:

  • Place butter and sugar in a bowl and beat with a mixer until light and fluffy.
  • Add egg and cream and continue mixing on a lower speed until combined (the mixture might appear separated, but that's ok).
  • Sift flour and baking powder together. Add to the batter and mix on low speed until the pastry starts to come together.
  • Knead into a ball with your hands, place back in the bowl and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
  • For the base and lid: cut about a third of the pastry for each base and lid and roll it out between 2 sheets of baking paper - it should cover the base of your cake tin.
  • Transfer one round of rolled out pastry together with the bottom sheet of baking paper onto the base of your tin. Cut excess dough and patch up any gaps with the leftovers.
  • Prick around with a fork and bake for 5 minutes, not longer, in the preheated oven. Remove from oven when ready.

In the meantime prepare the Ricotta Cheesecake Filling:

  • Place eggs and 1/8 cup caster sugar in a mixer bowl and beat on high speed until pale and fluffy. Set aside.
  • Place cream cheese and the remaining 1/8 cup caster sugar in another bowl and beat on medium speed until combined.
  • Add vanilla extract, cream and egg mixture from step 1 then mix on low speed to combine.
  • Add ricotta and mix on low speed to combine.

To assemble the Pasticceria Papa Ricotta Cheesecake:

  • Grease the cooled cake tin rim with extra butter and dust with flour. Shake off excess.
  • Place rim around the pre-baked base, with the baking paper hanging on the outside of the tin. Close the clasp.
  • Roll out remaining pastry into a log and place between two sheets of baking paper. Roll out to about 4mm thick and your cake tin's height. (You can do this in stages as it's hard to get the whole side into the tin at once.)
  • Transfer the strip(s) into the tin, pressing gently into the base and snug with the side walls of the tin. Continue to work right around the tin.
  • Cut off any overhangs by rolling your rolling pin over the top of the tin. Patch up any wholes.
  • Pour ricotta filling into the pastry casing and smooth out.
  • Using a knife, gently fold the pastry edges over the ricotta filling. Place the remaining circle of pastry over the top and using your fingers, gently "knead" the edges of the lid into the folded over pastry. It should look as if it were one piece all the way around.

To bake the Pasticceria Papa Ricotta Cheesecake:

  • Preheat oven to 180C (350F).
  • Place cheesecake on a lower middle rack of your pre-heated oven and bake for 45 minutes - the pastry should not crack within this time, but if it does, it will settle down as the cheesecake cools.
  • Once baked, leave to cool in the oven with the door ajar for 20 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil and transfer to a cooling rack, then once completely cool, cover with cling film and chill in the fridge overnight.

To serve:

  • Dust cheesecake with cinnamon and icing sugar and serve.

Notes

Recipe at www.wholesome-cook.com
Tried this recipe?Mention @wholesomecook or tag #wholesomecook

148 comments

Kerry Anne September 10, 2012 at 9:51 am

Oh my God! You have totally outdone yourself and made my day… THAT is the best cheesecake ever – so going to try this tonight!

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Anne S September 10, 2012 at 9:54 am

WOW WOW WOW! you are a genius Martyna. I’ve seen other attempts at making the cake but yours complete with the pastry lid is truly the best. Thank you so much for all your hard work in making this. I am sure you had some delicious times doing so.

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Maureen | Orgasmic Chef September 10, 2012 at 11:18 am

Holy Cow, M!! I’d be still on egg carton #45 trying to get this right. Well done! That cheesecake looks amazing.

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook September 10, 2012 at 1:04 pm

Thanks Maureen, although I doubt you’d need that many eggs. You are a super talented cook! I believe in you!

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Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella September 10, 2012 at 3:47 pm

That looks fantastic Martyna and thank you for the shoutout and kind words. I would give anything for a slice of your cake right now :D

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Nami | Just One Cookbook September 10, 2012 at 5:54 pm

Sounds like this cheesecake is something we can’t miss, and your replica version is all I can get for people oversea like me. I also learned your interesting technique to take pictures of cake/cheesecake. Very beautiful…!!!

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rsmacaalay September 10, 2012 at 6:05 pm

Wow that thing looks amazing, I love your recipe and your photos! Youve outdone yourself

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David Crichton September 10, 2012 at 7:56 pm

Another great reason to visit Syndey. I think that looks like my cheesecake heaven. Amazing.

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TasteFood September 11, 2012 at 6:36 am

Oh my goodness. This is magnificent.

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Janet Catesby September 11, 2012 at 10:05 pm

Hav just made this magnificent recipe BUT had a hell of a time with the pastry. I think chilling the pastry would have been better. Also what flour did U use?

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook September 12, 2012 at 11:09 am

Hi Janet, I used plain flour and made sure to work on a cold surface (granite benchtop but you could use glass cutting board) between 2 sheets of baking paper. You could chill the pastry, wrapped in a plastic bag for no longer than 10 minutes to help it be less sticky.

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Awanthi @ Sybaritic Pleasures September 11, 2012 at 10:56 pm

Oh my goodness! That looks so gorgeous! Well done, Martyna; congrats on your successful breakthrough! Oh, and thank you for sharing your hard-won recipe with us!

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john@heneedsfood September 12, 2012 at 5:38 am

I’m a little embarrassed to say I’m yet to try the cheesecake at Pasticceria Papa. I only hear great things. I’m more inclined to try yours as it looks incredible! Great work!

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Amanda@chewtown September 12, 2012 at 8:30 am

I am so impressed that you tried this three times! I don’t know if I have that sort of patience. Like John, I’ve also not yet tried the cheesecake at Pasticceria Papa. Yours looks spectacular!

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Kate September 12, 2012 at 9:10 am

Whoa Martyna! That cheesecake is seriously evil… Well done on conquering the recipe though. I can’t wait to make it for my family, I’m sure it’ll go before I get a piece!

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Amy @ Food Crush September 12, 2012 at 7:30 pm

This looks divine. Congrats on perfecting the recipe. I recently baked a salted caramel cheesecake with wraparound pastry, so I know how hard that is to perfect. Great photos too!

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook September 12, 2012 at 8:04 pm

Thanks Amy, your cheesecake sounds good too… is the recipe on your blog?

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Amanda O'Neill September 17, 2012 at 7:22 pm

I was very fortuntate to actually sample a piece of this cheesecake. It truly is one of the best cheesecakes I’ve ever eaten. A perfect balance of ricotta cheese, pastry and the subtle tase of cinnamon is just perfect. I will definitely try and make this myself!

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PB and Peppers (@JenatPBandP) September 21, 2012 at 1:10 pm

Oh my gosh! This cheesecake is gorgeous! I can see add some berries to it! It looks scrumptious!!

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Papa tryhard September 21, 2012 at 3:53 pm

I tried making the cake and I have the following comments:

1. No issues with the baking and or look of the final product
2. Pastry actually tastes nice but not like Papas. Note make sure you join the top to sides properly casue it puffs up and disconnects from the sides in oven if you dont
3. Filling is nothing like Papas. Papa must have different ingredients.
4. Not sure what to do with this following step. i.e when to add it back in witht he rest. Was a bit confused by the step.
1.Place eggs and ⅛ cup caster sugar in a mixer bowl and beat on high speed until pale and fluffy. Set aside.
If the filling is changed it will be a nice cake and kinda similar. Good attempt though.
Thanks

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook September 21, 2012 at 5:00 pm

Thank you for baking it! I’ve fixed #4 now, thank you for pointing it out. Now, I have a feeling you know the secret recipe… Do you have any pointers as to how the filling could be improved? As with all replicas, they can never be the real thing, but I must say, I am quite happy with this one and based on comments I’ve received from those who have tried the 3rd attempt I may be close.

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Tina September 21, 2012 at 4:55 pm

Wow. this cheesecake looks very delish!! and thanks for the recipe :)

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ROBYN LITTLE September 21, 2012 at 7:19 pm

I have had the very same cheesecake from Papa’s, so it is great to have the recipe. Yours looks even better than the original. Never thought the wraparound pastry would be as easy as it is to do.

Cheers,
Robyn.

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Jayson October 6, 2012 at 7:20 pm

Here I go tonight is the night to replicate that cheese cake we all have grown to love,I’m so grateful to have found your recipe,I wish you were here with us tonight to prepare it but your not ,I’m going to enjoy this and I’ll let you now how it turns out martyna.

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Phuoc'n Delicious October 16, 2012 at 4:10 pm

AMAZING!!!! You know what they say, 3rd time’s a charm! I can’t wait to give this a go.

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Stef January 12, 2013 at 7:05 pm

Attempted this cake today!! It looks like a real replica however the filling isn’t as sweet as papa’s.

Thanks for the recipe

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook January 12, 2013 at 8:39 pm

Hi Stef, thanks for the comment – glad you liked the cake. As for the sweetness I’m not a big sweet tooth so that’s probably why I went lighter on sugar in my recipe. Feel free to add a little extra to yours next time.
Martyna

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Stef January 15, 2013 at 11:15 pm

I found the longer I left it the more the taste intensified!! Day 2 and 3 tasted better then day one! :) I’m addicted

Thanks again!

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Charlie January 13, 2013 at 4:07 pm

Hey, is the flour you use for the pastry plain flour?

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook January 13, 2013 at 5:23 pm

Hi Charlie,
Yes, it is plain flour. I have updated the recipe now accordingly.
Thanks,
Martyna

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Fiona March 1, 2013 at 12:20 pm

Hi Martyna,
the ricotta filling looks devine. If i wanted to make a almond crust instead of your lovely pastry (too difficult for me) would i still cook the cake the same?

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Jacqueline March 7, 2013 at 7:10 pm

Hi just wondering if I can use vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract? Will it work with the recipe or does it need to be more liquid?

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook March 7, 2013 at 7:35 pm

Hi Jacqueline, yes you can it doesn’t really matter which you use, as long as it’s the real stuff! :-)

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Jacqueline March 8, 2013 at 3:56 pm

Oh great thanks for that! Also haha sorry for asking more questions but what type of cream did you use? Pure cream of double cream?

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Peta March 17, 2013 at 10:34 pm

I made this recipe and the comments were amazing. For instance, better than Papas. I could have eaten all of the filling before putting it in the cake. So yummy. I added nutmeg to the filling. It was a nice touch however I did add slightly too much. My only criticism is that the cake is too small. I wish it made a much bigger cake for special occasions. I might try and adjust the recipe and cooking time for a bigger cake for the next family occasion. Thanks so much.

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Rena March 28, 2013 at 9:44 am

Thanks for the recipe! Decided to make this a few weeks ago. Pastry was amazing and flavoursome. Filling had an amazing creamy and soft texture which I have never been able to achieve before, however lacked sweetness and flavour. I made it a second time round, added more sugar and some alcohol and also used mascarpone in place of the cream cheese. Texture wasn’t as great as the first try, BUT the filling tasted AMAZING! 3rd time lucky I guess. Will use cream cheese and add the extra sugar and alcohol ;) determined to nail this one!

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook March 28, 2013 at 6:34 pm

Hi Rena, glad to hear you liked the cheesecake and experimented a little to make it perfect for what you were after. As for me, I have a very sensitive sugar radar and don;t like using as much as others – hence probably why you felt the need to add more :)

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carana March 28, 2013 at 1:18 pm

Hi there, i just made your recipe, with a few changes, i switched the cream cheese for mascarpone, i think that it would taste more italian ;) also, i put the cake upside down, cause the upper crust wasnt brown enough, and looks perfect! now i just how to wait, thank you so much for sharing i have been hunting this kind of recipe long time ago, greetings from mexico :)

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Kerry March 30, 2013 at 11:00 pm

Just made it! Looking forward to tasting it tomorrow…. at family easter dinner (with the whole ext family who love baked ricotta cheesecakes OH O) Silly question but do you leave it in the tin over night until serving?
Didnt really brown on top but I still took it out at 45 mins incase it over cooked (I also used the italian flour 00 )

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook March 30, 2013 at 11:09 pm

Happy Easter! No question is silly. Yes, I leave the cake in the tin – while warm it needs to be held in shape by the tin until it cools down. I’d cover it with some baking paper or foul though as it could dry out. Enjoy :-)

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Diane April 11, 2013 at 9:34 am

i’m looking forward to making this based on the comments. I hope it turns out as fantastic as it has for everyone else. Just one question, the sugar you use for the cheesecake pastry, is that white sugar?

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook April 11, 2013 at 10:12 am

Hi Diane, sorry, it’s caster sugar or you could use white sugar too – I’ve updated the recipe. Hope it turns out for you, it’s an amazing cake!

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carla April 24, 2013 at 2:42 pm

Hi i have been looking for a recipe for this for ages. I have made it 2wice once i did it as is and the second did use mascarpone instead of the cream cheese, I preferred the first time as it didn’t sink because the second time the cake sunk deeply which wasn’t a problem. I just feel the filling is not quiet there i feel it should be creamer and not so coarse if I nail it i will share. Very nice though and very close.

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Peter Norton May 5, 2013 at 10:41 am

Hi Martyna, I have tried the ricotta cheesecake from Papa’s and it has a distinct taste of sweetened condensed milk so I will be adding to this to my attemt at your recipe, I’ll let you know how I get on :) Pete N from Perth

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook May 5, 2013 at 6:00 pm

Hi Pete, that’s a good pick up on your part. Still I’ve found the cheesecake to be less sweeet than others. Looking forward to hearing how it turns out!

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Flora May 13, 2013 at 11:10 am

Hi Martyna,
Have you tried this recipe with mascarpone cheese instead of Philadelphia cheese?

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook May 13, 2013 at 12:17 pm

Hi Flora,
No I haven’t. Have you? It might work too and I guess would be a touch more Italian that way.

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Selene July 4, 2013 at 9:53 pm

Want to attempt this a second time and would love to know how the condensed milk would work and how much you would use in this recipe??

Selene

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook July 4, 2013 at 10:26 pm

Hi Selene, I haven’t tried the sweetened condensed milk (too sugary for me), but I have a feeling that you could swap the fresh cream for the same amount of sweetened condensed milk and see how you get on from there… Good luck! Let me know too :-)

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Selene July 6, 2013 at 11:32 pm

Good tip! Thanks. .. will let you know :)

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The Saffron Girl May 15, 2013 at 7:45 pm

I saw “your” cheesecake done by Adobo Down Under and was curious… What a great recipe and it looks delicious. I love your reverse-engineering! Well done.

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook May 15, 2013 at 10:30 pm

Thank you :-) I;ve made it a number of times since, and every time it’s perfect! I was drooling all over Anna’s photos – our house is all packed up for an impending move so I can’t even bake…

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Constance June 3, 2013 at 11:07 am

Hi Martyna! The recipe looks amazing! I just want to know how many servings it will make?

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook June 4, 2013 at 7:07 pm

Hi Constance, it serves 8-10, you could probably squeeze out 12 serves out of it, but I’m sure there’d be requests for extras!

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Steph Vong June 14, 2013 at 11:21 pm

I tried making this tonight and had a very difficult time with the lid, I wasnt able to knead it into the sides before it all fell apart. Could you make a explain the assembling part a little better for me?

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook June 15, 2013 at 12:05 am

I’m sorry to hear that! If you are unable to place big pastry strips around the tin, you could just take smaller pieces and press them into the sides, overlapping a little. Or try chilling the strips in the fridge longer? Let me know if you need more detailed info..

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Mia June 24, 2013 at 7:32 pm

Hi Martyna, I feel like I’ve found the holy grail of cheesecake recipes with finding your recipie. I think I’ve tried every Ricotta cheesecake in Sydney and Papa’s is the best by far so to find your recipe makes me so very excited and can’t wait to make it, thanks! Just one question though, can this cheesecake be eaten warm after baking or MUST it be chilled first? Just that ones Ive had from Papas always taste like just baked. Thanks :)

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook June 24, 2013 at 10:29 pm

I’m not sure you could cut it when warm as it feels wobbly inside… I know what you mean about it being so fresh, and for the most part that sensation is replicated in this replica :-)

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Carla June 25, 2013 at 3:33 pm

GUESS WHAT! Papa’s has changed their recipe, just tasted it yesterday, the filling is a lot creamier than before just thought I would share this with you all!!!!

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook July 4, 2013 at 10:27 pm

Thanks Carla!!! I will have to try a slice from my local cafe… Looking forward to it actually!

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Tracey July 7, 2013 at 8:32 pm

Just served this cheesecake and it was a great hit. Pastry was easy to make and filling was light and fluffy. Served it with blueberries for some sweetness. Will definitely make it again! Thank you!

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Fran August 7, 2013 at 11:05 am

Hi Martyna,
Would you mind if I convert your recipe for use with a Thermomix and post it on the Thermomix recipe community? I would put a reference to you. It is a fabulous recipe and just like I remember it.

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook August 7, 2013 at 11:12 am

Hi Fran, not at all – sharing is a good thing, thank you!

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Elizabeth September 2, 2013 at 10:51 am

Martyna, THANK YOU! I’m so looking forward to having a crack at this recipe. Fran, I was wondering if you were able to convert this recipe for the Thermomix and if you have posted it on the Thermomix recipe community, I had a look there and couldn’t see it.

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northsidereadingtuition September 2, 2013 at 5:08 pm

It’s a work in progress Elizabeth. I will give it another go this week. I must say my husband will be pleased. I need to remember to take photos. Both attempts have been very good. Will post here again when I have done it. Fran

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Elizabeth September 2, 2013 at 6:43 pm

Thanks Fran. I totally understand! Thank you for all of your efforts.

northsidereadingtuition September 4, 2013 at 7:15 am

Hi Elizabeth, Please let me know if anything isn’t clear or incorrect. I’m sure it can be improved.
Cheers,
Fran

Elizabeth September 4, 2013 at 8:11 am

Thank you Fran. Will try it on the weekend.

Debra moxon August 20, 2013 at 2:14 pm

Martyna you are an angel for going us this recipe!
Made it last night and am so impressed with the ease it comes together.
Tasted it just now and….oh my God!!! Beautiful!! Devine!!!
Mine did crack on top but settled a little on chilling. About to whip up a little strawberry sauce for my dear one as he likes the sweet stuff!!
Well done girl. Perfection.

Regards, Debra.

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Noodly Baked Eggs | Wholesome Cook August 24, 2013 at 2:00 pm

[…] I mentioned earlier for their winning entries. Kate, these photos are inspired by yours! PS the Ricotta Cheesecake came second in the recipe comp – thanks to everyone who voted. Stoked about […]

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Erin September 10, 2013 at 4:45 pm

Hi.
This looks fantastic! I’m thinking about making this for my Mum’s birthday but she lives in the country for I’m heading up Friday to eat on Saturday. Is it absolutely essential to cool overnight? What if I make it early on Saturday morning and it sits in the fridge all day?
Thanks!

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook September 11, 2013 at 3:51 am

Hi Erin, I think it should be fine to make it in the morning then let it chill in the fridge just during the day (6-8 hours should be sufficient time for this). Let us all know how it goes. :-)

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook September 11, 2013 at 3:51 am

PS and happy birthday to your Mum!

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Erin September 11, 2013 at 9:33 am

Thanks Martyna! I was really hoping you’d say that because I am dying to cook this!

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Isabella October 11, 2013 at 8:55 pm

OMG! I love Papa’s Baked Ricotta Cheesecake and now to stumble across a replica recipe of my favourite cake…awesome! :) Thanks so much for perfecting the recipe & sharing this, Martyna! I am definitely going to give it a go real soon….I have fresh ricotta, ready to go! Let’s see how it turns out! Can’t wait to try it out! :)

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MP November 22, 2013 at 10:21 am

I Love the papa version but have been disapointed with it in store of late – can’t wait to try this with a equally besotted baking friend to see how we fare..

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No Bake Greek Yoghurt Cheesecake | Wholesome Cook November 28, 2013 at 1:48 pm

[…] somebody say cheesecake? I’m a fan! Whether it’s a replica of Sydney’s best baked ricotta or baked sugar-free yoghurt cake, I love them all. Today’s recipe for a No Bake Yoghurt […]

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Dessert Queen December 22, 2013 at 3:26 pm

Mines in the oven I have done baked Ricotta cheese cakes before, so I thought I would yours, can’t wait to taste… love Pappa’s but could not get their as only 3 days till christamas … so this is going to be our dessert.

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Dessert Queen December 22, 2013 at 3:35 pm

Pastry a bit difficult today since its 30c heat in sydney did re-fridgerate it but warm once you got it out & had to work quickly so top not as smooth as I could get but dusting will hide any blemishes

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Dessert Queen December 23, 2013 at 8:36 pm

Need to add more sugar next time all comments were positive but needs to be more sweeter texture & pastry was perfect

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Nick February 9, 2014 at 10:34 am

I’m quite a novice at baking and had a go at this and not a bad attempt. Some comments/questions.
1. Filling did not seem as light as I expected. Perhaps I was too impatient with the mixing. Approximately how long do you mix/beat each step ?
2. I was confused as to which attachment would be best (I was using a Sunbeam K-mix). What do you use ?
3. After overnight refrigeration crust was a little too firm (in my opinion). Is it generally supposed to be quite firm.
4. Ever thought about making a video (or even photos) of the process and posting ?

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Maddie February 21, 2014 at 7:21 pm

After much drooling over your photos I decided to give this a try recently. It was a wonderful and relatively simple recipe to follow and the final product was absolutely delicious – just like the original Papa’s Ricotta Cheesecake!! Next time I think I will add a little bit more sugar to the filling, but I loved the spongey pastry. Great job! Thank you for sharing this recipe, I loved it and received lots of praise on how yummy and light it was! Will definitely give it a try again :).

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Scott Chaney March 19, 2014 at 12:40 am

Hi guys,
I have just made this recipe and whilst it tuned out well if I may add a few tips they would be 50g to 100g more butter to the pastry and chill it for 45 min and make the filling to 750g of ricotta adjusting the recipe and the dusting for the top would be 1part Dutch Cinnamon and 2 parts icing sugar. I love the recipe that you have arrived to and it is best served chilled it is very close to papas. The pastry is great and having sampled several of the originals it is so close and the filling is also close I would like to try some lemon rind/juice to pop it but my hat is off to you and many thanks, I now don’t have to drive an hour to Sydney to have this.

Cheers.

Chopper.

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook March 19, 2014 at 7:10 am

Hi Chopper, thanks for the tips and your comment! :-) I will add a comment to the post pointing to your and some of the other comments with good tips. Have a great day!

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Shannon Fulton April 14, 2014 at 9:26 am

I have had a wonderful cheesecake from a shop at Haberfield in Sydney to die for. I don’t know if that is Papa’s but my family love it. I have them all coming for Easter and am going to surprise them with yours. Here’s hoping it’s as successful as everyone else’s has been on this page. Can’t wait to make it. Thanks for the recipe.

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook April 14, 2014 at 9:53 am

There are two italian patisseries in Haberfield, so it could have been either. Now one point to note, and mentioned in a couple of the reviews, is that the cheesecake is on the less sweeter side. You can add another 1/4 cup sugar or a few stevia drops for extra sweetness. Enjoy and Happy Easter!

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Shannon April 16, 2014 at 10:34 pm

I have spoken to my daughter who buys the cheesecake from Haberfield and it is from papa’s. I will be making it this weekend for the family when they visit and will be waiting for my son in law’s reaction as he loves the papa’s one. I will add the extra sugar as you mentioned. Have a lovely Easter.

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Baked Ricotta Cheesecake with a Nutella Surprise! | amateurbakerandme April 21, 2014 at 6:14 pm

[…] the recipe so I have made a few changes/adaptations to the original (which can be found here at The Wholesome Cook’s Blog). Overall, this cake is beautifully moist and creamy and the Nutella hit is subtle and well […]

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Jaqueline May 9, 2014 at 7:45 pm

I made this one before and it was fabulous. Planning on making it again tonight. However the cooling steps tripped me up as I interpreted ‘cider with foil and transfer to cooling rack’ as ‘remove from tin, cover with foil and transfer to cooling rack’ and I cracked my pastry as it was still too warm to manoeuvre. I figured if it were meant to be cooled in the tin it would have specified to cool in tin. But anyway learnt my lesson and will cover the top of the tin with foil then cling wrap and refrigerate in tin and not remove until ready to serve. I’m just concerned the pastry will go soggy in contact with cold metal for so long

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook May 9, 2014 at 10:09 pm

Hi Jaqueline, I think it will be fine… I will ensure to amend those instructions to be clearer. Thanks for the tip.

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Patrick from Haberfield June 6, 2014 at 5:37 pm

Hi Martyna! I live in Haberfield, just moments from Papa’s and have done for over a decade now, so I know these cakes intimately haha. I decided to try your recipe out and I must say it’s very close indeed, especially the pastry – that is absolutely spot on so excellent tastebud memory matching that with your failproof slice pastry! I can also say that the pastry worked fine for me but you need to work quickly and keep surfaces, implements and hands cold (my mother always taught me to run my hands under cold water before handling the pastry). I put my silicone pastry matt in the freezer also and used a cold wine bottle to roll out the pastry.

I have posted some images of how mine turned out here:



I prefer less icing sugar and I also added a small amount of freshly grated nutmeg to the top which tasted great. I think that Papa’s probably add a layer of cinnamon and then use a shaped piece of card when they add the icing sugar layer, to achieve the star pattern with the cinnamon showing through the spots the card covers.

A number of friends tried this and they were amazed at how good it was and 2 of them who are big fans of Papa’s ricotta cake and visit the area just for this reason, said they could never tell the difference.

My only comment to enhance your instructions, would be to indicate a thickness for the pastry base and top as cutting it in thirds didn’t work well for me – the base and top were too thick (compared w Papa’s) and I had too little pastry left for the sides which as a result I had to make thinner than your suggestion (which I note is true to Papa’s thickness as per the photos of your brilliant cake). Also, as a result of this it’s evident in my photos that the sides didn’t stick as well to the top. But it still held up nicely when cooked.

Either that, or I’d suggest making 1.5 x the amount of pastry and discard what you don’t use.

My taste test comparison is as follows: Pastry: Perfect. Filling: Papa’s is somewhat thinner and sweeter. So I wonder if a lighter cream cheese could be used as it tasted more cheesy than Papa’s does to me or perhaps more cream to make it thinner and more milky/creamy? As for the extra sweetness, I once asked some Italians around the area what the secret was and they told me there are flavoured vials you can get from the local IGA – amaretto and various other flavours including vanilla – that you can add to the cake. I am making this recipe again for a friend’s birthday, and will try adding one of these to increase the sweetness. They are also clear in colour so this helps retain the look of the cake. This is what they look like:

All in all, a brilliantly reverse-engineered recipe – thank you Martyna!!

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Fresh homemade ricotta from your kitchen June 29, 2014 at 4:06 pm

[…] Baked ricotta cheesecake – Wholesome Cook  […]

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Tindy July 25, 2014 at 10:39 am

After 6 weeks on an uber strict “nutritional program”, my partner and I are finally allowed to let our hair down with a ‘treat’ meal. Christo almost cried with joy when I told him this morning that I’d found your recipe and was going to attempt to make it for him. So, fingers crossed it comes out even half as good as this looks!

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook July 25, 2014 at 6:40 pm

Hi Tindy, well done for sticking to the 6-week diet plan! Have you made the cake yet? Would love to see pics – please feel free to share on Facebook or Instagram tagging @wholesomecook
Enjoy, it will be a well-deserved treat.

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Sandra August 2, 2014 at 7:30 pm

Just a question, is the cream thickened cream? And does the cream need to be whipped before mixing with other ingredients ?

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook August 2, 2014 at 7:36 pm

Hi Sandra, it’s fresh (pure cream) and it doesn’t need to be whipped before. Just straight from the carton. :-)

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Kelda rawlings October 12, 2014 at 8:36 pm

Hi, loved the look of this so I baked it today. It was to die for yummy!
I added the juice and rind of a lemon, as I love lemon cheesecakes. Perfecto! I also don’t like things too sweet, and think its just right amount if sweetness. Maybe I’ll get to papas one day to try the real thing. Thanks for the recipie.

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Noelle December 6, 2014 at 6:19 am

Has anyone tried this with almond flour? If so what was the result? Thanks

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Monika December 23, 2014 at 1:16 am

Hmm I don’t know what I did wrong but the pastry turned into a cookie :( I was so disappointed because it took me so much time to make it…

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook December 23, 2014 at 9:22 am

Hi Monika, I’m sorry to hear that. My only thought is that your oven might have been a little too hot and the pastry dried out. I’m not sure if the following would work, but perhaps you could try putting the cake in the tin and back in the oven for 5 minutes at 50C then wrapping it snugly with kitchen towels to help soften the pastry. Otherwise, I hope the flavour is still there and that you still enjoy it.

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Paul December 24, 2014 at 1:26 pm

Mine’s in the oven now . I had a devil of a time with the sides. Pastry won’t hold it’s own weight, so I chilled again and ended up removing the flour from the tin to give it something to stick to. If I do again would probably try to engineer it – use 4mm wooden strips to roll into exact shape, place into tin with the paper still on, freeze it, then take out and quickly remove the paper. would that work?

Thanks for the recipe.

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Vid January 25, 2015 at 5:22 pm

I made this cake today and my was I impressed! I haven’t tried the original but both the filling and pastry of this cake tasted like a light fluffy cloud. I’m so happy it turned out so well as it took a bit of effort but definitely worth while. Thank you for the recipe :)

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Steph February 8, 2015 at 9:24 pm

Hello Martyna,
This looks amazing – I am planning to make it for my boyfriend for this valentines :)
A few questions if I may:
Is the butter unsalted? (I presume)
When I look at cream in the supermarket, it’s usually 10g fat/100g cream – so I’m not sure which cream to get for 35% fat, do you have a brand suggestion?
Thanks so much :)

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook February 9, 2015 at 2:32 pm

Hi Steph, he’s a lucky man! Yes, the butter is unsalted. You could use Dairy Farmers Pure Cream, it’s the one I tend to use most of the time in this recipe as it is free from additives (thickeners, unlike thickened cream). Hope that helps!

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Lynnda April 1, 2015 at 10:56 pm

Hi Martyna

Thank you very much for the recipe :-) I have just finished making this, so we are yet to try the finished product, but just the small tastings from the spoons and bender blades for the base and then the filling, was divine!

I read through the reviews and adopted the changes to mascapone and substituted the fresh cream for the filling with the condensed milk. I also added more sugar (x2 more), so may have gone a bit overboard, but will let you know once we’ve eaten the finished product :-)

My son has especially requested this for his birthday tomorrow, so we will let you know once he’s cut the cake :-)

Thank you again!

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook April 2, 2015 at 10:09 am

Hi Lynnda,

Happy Birthday to your son! I hope he enjoys the cake – it is one of my favourites! If you’re on Facebook or Instagram, please feel free to tag @Wholesomecook so that I can see your creation!

Martyna

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Vanessa May 9, 2015 at 9:20 am

Hi
Love the baked ricotta cheesecake! Just wanted to know if you have a recipe for papa’s mimosa cake?
Thanks.

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook May 9, 2015 at 10:05 am

Hi Vanessa, unfortunately no, I haven’t attempted making a replica of the mimosa cake at home.

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Crystal June 9, 2015 at 10:41 am

Thank you so much for this outstanding recipe – it was a real hit! I would definitely recommend making this even 2 days ahead, it allowed the cake to settle and develop a much more beautiful flavour – but 1 day is fine too. It’s a keeper!! :)

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Kelsey June 22, 2015 at 3:28 pm

My Mum made me this cake for my Birthday, and we found the filling very bland so we made a lemon curd to go with it.
I would suggest adding more sugar when making :)

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paul C June 22, 2015 at 6:11 pm

I made this as a double recipe (needed one for work and one for me).
I used Brancourt’s ricotta from harris farm and made sure it was well drained.
Additionally I used 250g of Neufchattel and 250g of Mascarpone instead of Philadelphia – much less “bite” and also creamier and lighter.
Also used triple vanilla qty and some lemon zest thorughout.
It WAS AWESOME.

PS. the other shop in Haberfield was Sulfaro’s but they are not around anymore – their version was a lot more rustic but also tastier somehow.

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S94 September 29, 2015 at 6:47 pm

I cooked it, it was dry and the texture was nothing like the real thing.

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laura December 9, 2015 at 7:32 pm

I’ve made this cake numerous times and everyone loves it!

I used to make it with brancourts ricotta or one from the deli but i nowdont have access to either! I was wondering if you think it would still work out/taste good with a store bought container ricotta?

Thanks!

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook December 9, 2015 at 7:49 pm

Hi Laura, I think so. Make sure it’s full fat ricotta though with no additives (cornflour, etc).

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Maria December 12, 2015 at 9:59 pm

What size cake tin do I use?

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Carmen February 29, 2016 at 5:07 pm

Can you freeze this and once thawed will it be the same? Not made an encased cheesecake before looks interesting.

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Anna Ekto March 29, 2016 at 4:06 pm

Thank you so much for this recipe! I have made it 3 times now and finally its perfect!!! On my third go the pastry didn’t crumble at all and there was no sinking in the middle!!

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Anne B May 6, 2016 at 1:36 pm

Hello Martyna, thanks for this beautiful recipe. I am just wondering if it would be possible to use gluten-free plain flour as I am coeliac. Congratulations on the baby news also

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook May 26, 2016 at 5:05 pm

Thanks Anne! I think you can always try – I’ve not made the cake with gluten-free flour but found that the store-bought varieties are pretty good at using as 1:1 substitutes. Good luck!

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Grace August 12, 2016 at 12:03 pm

Finally got around to trying the original Papa’s cheesecake last weekend, and I loved it. I was so excited when I found your recipe online – made it yesterday, and I was so impressed at how it turned out!

Taste was fantastic and really close to the original – I’m not much of a sweet-tooth either, so I actually liked the amount of sugar you called for :) Only adjustment is I might try using light cream cheese/ricotta next time, as I found it a little heavy.

I had a bit of trouble folding the edges when connecting the top pastry layer – and wasn’t ‘seemless’ like yours. Do you have any tips on this step?

Anyhow thanks for sharing Martyna, your efforts testing & trialling have definitely paid off! :)

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook August 22, 2016 at 11:46 am

Hi Grace, thanks for your comment. In terms of folding the pastry, it is a little tricky, I admit. For the more seamless finish you can wet your fingers in a little water and just smooth / gently press the pastry onto the folded over bits until it’s stuck and you can’t see the seam. Happy baking!

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Natalie November 8, 2016 at 3:54 pm

Hi I was wondering if you had any tips for making mini versions?

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook December 11, 2016 at 8:34 pm

Hi Natalie, hmmm… I’ve not made mini versions, but I guess you could try using a meatpie tray and baking the cheesecakes for 10 minutes shorter…? You might get 5-6 out of the recipe. Let me know how it goes!

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Marianne December 20, 2016 at 9:25 pm

I have tried Pasticceria Papa Ricotta Cake a number of times and it never disappoints. Light and fluffy divineness, if that’s a word! Martyna your recipe worked so well! It’s so true to the PP recipe and I’m inspired to make it again for Christmas dessert. Thank you for sharing.

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Bec March 8, 2017 at 2:15 pm

Amazing!!!!
First go and it turned out perfect!
I never thought I would be able to re-create this cheese cake but with your recipe I have.
Thank you for sharing!

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Melissa April 14, 2017 at 4:06 pm

Hi there! If I wanted to make a chocolate version of this should O just add cocoa?
Thanks

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook April 14, 2017 at 7:17 pm

Hi Melissa, cocoa might change the texture of the cheesecake – I would add a mixture of cocoa (maybe 2 tablespoons) and perhaps 40g melted dark chocolate. I’ve not tried this before but look forward to hearing the result!

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Aimee July 26, 2017 at 8:39 am

Hi Martyna, I made your recipe yesterday and it looks fab, so I can’t wait to serve it tonight! The only thing is I couldn’t see anywhere what temperature to preheat the oven to. I ended up following Lorraines temp guide for her baked cheesecake but it was browning too quickly so dropped it back to 180c. Is that about right?

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook July 26, 2017 at 8:56 am

Hi Aimee, yes that’s right! Sorry, I will make sure to check / update the text on the recipe card :-) Hope you love the cheesecake!

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Katie December 20, 2017 at 2:18 am

Hi what size cake tin should i use?

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook December 20, 2017 at 10:15 am

Hi there, I used a 21cm tin.

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Karen December 31, 2017 at 11:50 am

Amazing recipe! The pastry was perfect, and the filling light and not too rich. I did find, like others, that the filling was not sweet enough, particularly as desserts taste less sweet once chilled. So, I added a touch more sugar, and around a tablespoon of honey for a bit more depth of flavour. I also added the grated rind of a small/medium lemon and a tablespoon of amaretto, both classic Italian flavours. The result was absolutely delicious, with each flavour complementing the others without dominating. This recipe is a definite keeper!

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Tam February 24, 2018 at 7:07 am

You did an amazing job. I made mine but it is normal for the pastry to be hard on the outside? I followed the receipe but the outside is hard crusted.

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melissadenman August 27, 2018 at 11:11 pm

Ok..
I have a story for you :).

I work on a private Superyacht and the owners of the boat LOVE this cake from Papas.
Ever since I joined them, iv appreciated any time they request this cake as it means i’m off the hook for making dessert for the day.
Right now though, we are up in Hamilton Island with the boat and of course there is no Papas up here.
We have the owners on board this week so as a surprise for them, I have been practicing and perfecting this recipe for months, to serve this week.
Iv made the cake 3 times so far.. and the 3rd time was after making, then freezing the pastry.
SO I can confirm that you can PRE MAKE this pastry and freeze it for 3 weeks before defrosting, rolling out and making the rest of the cake as usual! Pastry may be a little more crisp but that also could just be the cooking time.
Anyway.. I currently have the pastry portioned (bottom, sides and top) vac sealed in the freezer on the boat, ready to defrost, cook and serve to the owners in a few days. The pastry was made in my kitchen in Sydney and has since sailed all the way to Hamilton Island for this very moment.
If this fails… this may well be the biggest anticlimax of my life haha
thanks so much for this wonderful recipe and now lets hope that they actually realise that we are so far from Bondi that I MUST have made this cake :).

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melissadenman August 27, 2018 at 11:17 pm

oh and iv made a whisky caramel sauce to go with it :D

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Tina December 12, 2018 at 10:29 am

Hi there,

I was just wondering how long can we leave it in the fridge for?

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook December 12, 2018 at 10:31 am

Hi Tina, you can probably leave it in the fridge for 4-5 days.

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CK April 2, 2019 at 10:25 am

Hiya, My daughter’s bf is obsessed with the Papa’s original, so I gave this a try. Seriously good! After reading other reviews I added about 1/8 cup extra caster sugar and another 100g of Paesanella full-fat ricotta. It’s beautifully fluffy and creamy. Thanks!

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Guru Kaur April 4, 2019 at 2:46 am

Thank you for this really wonderful recipe. I’ve made it a couple of times and it works well substituting live yoghurt for the eggs. Where I’m struggling is getting the lid and sides to join as if rolled in a single piece. I will be immensely grateful if you can share how to do that because that is the icing on your cake. Thank you for inspiring us to excellence with love blessings gratitude gracefully Guru Kaur

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Anika July 29, 2019 at 11:46 am

Do you think thickened cream would work instead of fresh cream? also is it possible there might be a little grated lemon rind? I will make this wednesday to eat on Thursday and see how I go! I might add an extra 1/8 of caster sugar based on comments above as I like it a little sweet. Will let you know how I go!

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Martyna @ Wholesome Cook July 29, 2019 at 1:46 pm

Hi Anika, you can definitely add lemon zest – it will be delicious! As for thickened cream you can try – it should work okay.

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Greg October 3, 2019 at 7:57 am

Hi Martyna
I made this yesterday and cut it today. I had difficulty joining the pastry around the top to make it like it was one piece and when I cut it today there is a gap between the pastry and the top of the filling – any ideas??
Also I feel the pastry is crispier than the Papas cake – I used a fan forced oven but used an oven thermometer to ensure the temperature was correct.
Overall it is a good product – thank you.
Greg

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StevensWillis October 14, 2019 at 3:06 am

An outstanding share! I have just forwarded this onto a coworker who was doing a little homework on this. And he in fact ordered me lunch due to the fact that I stumbled upon it for him… lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending time to talk about this issue here on your website.|

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Evelyn January 14, 2020 at 1:58 pm

We left Sydney 8 years ago and I missed this cake dearly. I’ve made your wonderful recipe 5 times now and it brings back the best memories every time we eat it. Sometimes when I attach the top it turns out wonderfully and other times its the most stressful step of anything I’ve ever made. So I don’t know what I’m doing right/wrong.
Thank you for sharing this recipe.

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Angie January 28, 2020 at 4:43 pm

Fabulous recipe but how can I make the ricotta filling creamier? The texture is a little too firm and lacks flavour. Something is missing.

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Pippa September 13, 2020 at 6:37 pm

Hi Martyna, WOW! What a brilliant recreation of the original Papas cheesecake!

I made this yesterday and loved how light and creamy the filling was, and was really impressed by the soft, easy to make pastry. As someone who also prefers not-too-sweet desserts, I found the level of sweetness to be just right.

I did find the texture of the cheesecake a little crumblier than Papas – it didn’t quite ‘stick’ together as well and was a little lumpy. I wonder if I had overbaked it? Or maybe adding condensed milk might make it firmer/’stickier’?

Thanks again for the recipe. Would appreciate any tips/suggestions!

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Anna December 21, 2020 at 11:34 am

Does anyone else taste a hint of almond essence in the original Papas cheesecake? Please help a sister out <3

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Zena January 14, 2022 at 4:55 pm

Fantastic recipe! I have been making this ricotta cheese cake for over a year now and it only gets better

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