Ricotta cheesecake
Course: DessertCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: EasyIngredients
250g ricotta cheese
2 heaped tablespoons soft cheese
3 tbsp plain flour
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs, separated
85g caster sugar
a handful of raspberries or blackberries
Icing sugar for dusting
- For the pastry
125g plain flour
65g butter
1tsp golden caster sugar
Directions
- Set the oven to 180°C
- Make the shortcrust pastry by mixing 65g butter with the flour and 1tsp sugar until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add a splash of water and form into a ball. Roll out to 3mm thick and line an 18cm fluted tart tin.
- Pierce the bottom of the tart with a fork. Line with baking paper and fill with baking beans or rice. Blind bake for 15 minutes. Take out from the oven, remove the baking paper with beans and bake for a further 5 minutes. Take out from the oven but leave the oven on.
- Put the ricotta, the egg yolks, lemon zest and flour in a mixing bowl.
- In a separte bowl, whisk the egg whites. Gradually add in the sugar and whisk to soft peak consistency.
- Whisk the cheese until smooth. Fold in the whisked egg whites with a spatula.
- Transfer to the tart case, top with the fruit and bake for 10 minutes.
- Turn down the oven to 150°C and bake for a further 20 minutes.
- Take out from the oven for 10 minutes to prevent the top cracking too much but leave the oven on. Then, put back in the oven for the final 15 minutes.
- Dust with icing sugar before serving.