- Yield: 12 servings
- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: 1h 10 min
- Serving: For Family
Baked Ricotta Cheesecake
Baked ricotta cheesecake with marsala sultanas - Italian style ricotta cheesecake with sultanas soaked in a little rum or brandy – Torta di ricotta.
Ingredients
- Pastry
- plain flour - 300g
- cold unsalted butter - 200g
- caster sugar - 100g
- egg - 1
- Filling
- ricotta cheese - 1000g
- sultanas - 120g
- candied orange peel - 50g
- Marsala wine (or Port) - 4 tablespoons
- eggs - 3 (separated)
- caster sugar - 220g
- ground almonds - 2 tablespoons
- plain flour - 1 tablespoon
- vanilla extract - half teaspoon
- lemon juice - 2 tablespoons
- salt - a pinch
- icing sugar - for dusting
Instructions
- Combine the flour, sugar and butter until they form fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and bring the mixture together until it form a dough. Roll it into a smooth ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Soak the sultans in the Marsala at least 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Once the dough has rested, roll it out and thickness of about 5mm on a lightly floured work surface. Place a springform cake tin (22cm round tin, 4-5cm deep) over the pastry and cut around the tin to give you a circle that will fit into the base. Line the baking tray (base) of springform with parchment and place the dough circle inside it. Bake for 10 minutes until golden. Cool to room temperature.
- Cut strips of fresh pastry for the sides and press into the tin. Run your finger along the joins, including where the sides join to the base, to seal.
- Meanwhile, beat the ricotta in the large bowl using an electric whisk. Add half the sugar, lemon juice, flour, ground almonds and mix together using wooden spoon. Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract. Stir until thoroughly blended. Stir in the sultans and candied orange peel.
- Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt and half the sugar until pale and frothy. Fold into the ricotta mixture.
- Pour the filling into the pastry base and smooth the top.
- Preheat the oven to 150°C. Bake 60-70 minutes. The cheesecake is ready when golden brown and puffed up.
- Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 1 hour. Use a knife to trim around the outside of the cake. Remove the sides of the tin and cool completely.
- Serve dusted with icing sugar.
