This twist on a classic cheesecake uses creamy ricotta cheese with a zesty hit of lemon, making a refreshingly sharp, but sweet end to any meal. Serve it with a dollop of Piri Piri plum chutney to add a fantastic fruity sweetness and a peppery kick.
Forget everything you thought you knew about cheesecake recipe etiquette. Ricotta cheese, burned top, beautiful cracks, no biscuit base, and is cooked at a high heat without a water bath! And it’s the easiest cheesecake you’ll ever make.
It is absolutely delicious. Stop the excuses to eat two slices in one siting.
Ingredients:
Serves 8-10 Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 1h 20 min
1kg fresh ricotta (I use two ricotta tubs, 500g each)
3/4 cup fine sugar
6 large eggs (size 7)
1/2 cup plain flour
1 Tbs finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
20g butter
To serve:
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Line 23cm springform cake pan with a sheet of parchment paper, ensure that the parchment rises at least 5cm above the pan on all sides. Grease the paper with butter.
In a stand mixer on a medium-high speed mix together the room-temperature ricotta cheese and sugar until the mix is very smooth, no lumps, and sugar dissolved. Scrape down sides of a mixer bowl using a silicone spatula from time to time. One by one add the eggs, increase the speed, then add vanilla extract and lemon zest, again mixing until very smooth. Add the flour in ricotta cheese mixture one tablespoon at the time. Beat until batter is very smooth, and silky.
Pour the batter into the prepared springform cake pan. Set the pie pan onto a baking sheet, to prevent the leaks. Bake for about 1 hour 20 minutes. It should have golden-brown top, but still, be quite jiggly in the centre when it’s time to remove.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven, and set it on a rack to cool. Once the cake is cool, refrigerate it, covered, until you’re ready to serve it
Serve with a dollop of Piripiri plum chutney.
