Lemon and Orange Ricotta Cheesecake

This delicious melt-in-the-mouth cheesecake comes from Sicily and can be served with cream, ice cream or on its own.

Serves 6
Prep time 45 mins
Cooking time 45 mins
Ingredients
For the pastry

  • 6oz/175g Plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 3 tbsp Caster sugar
  • 1 Egg yolk
  • Salt
  • 4oz/115g Unsalted butter, diced

For the filling

  • 4fl oz/125ml Heavy/double cream
  • 1 lb/450g Ricotta cheese
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Extra egg yolk
  • 3oz/85g Caster sugar
  • 1 Orange rind, finely grated
  • 1 Lemon rind, finely grated

Method
Pastry

  • Make the pastry first, sift sieve the flour, sugar and salt onto a work surface, make a well in the centre.
  • Add the egg yolk and diced butter to the well.
  • Using your fingertips gradually work in the flour mixture until it's fully incorporated.
  • Collect the dough up and knead very gently, cut off about a quarter, wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate.
  • Press the remaining dough into the base of the flan tin, and chill for 30 minutes.

Filling

  • Beat the cream with the ricotta cheese, eggs and extra yolk, sugar, orange and lemon rind.
  • Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate until needed.
  • Take out the pastry, and prick all over with a fork.
  • Line with foil and dried beans (this will stop it rising) and bake blind in a preheated oven 375F/190C gas mark 5 for 15 minutes.
  • Remove the pastry case from the oven and take out the foil and beans.
  • Stand the tin on a wire rack and allow to cool.
  • Once it's cool, spoon the ricotta mixture into the pastry case, smoothing over the surface.
  • Roll out the reserved pastry on a lightly floured work surface and cut into strips.
  • Arrange the strips in a lattice fashion over the filling, brushing the edges with a little water to make them stick.
  • Bake in a preheated oven 375F/190C/gas mark 5 for about 30 minutes, until the top is golden and the filling has set.
  • Cool on a wire rack before lifting off the side of the tin.
  • Cut into wedges to serve

Equipment

  • 9 inch/23cm loose based flan tin

Cooks tip

  • This is a superb light tangy dessert to finish a meal.

Shopping List

  • Plain flour
  • Caster sugar
  • Eggs
  • Butter
  • Double cream
  • Ricotta cheese
  • Orange
  • Lemon

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