“The almost perfect” ricotta cheesecake

My trip to Poland is still 3 months away and I had a terrible craving for a cheesecake. I found a recipe for a ricotta cheesecake which sounded like it may turn out close to what I was missing. So I baked it, without getting my hopes up. Waited patiently as it cooled in the fridge overnight. Then rushed the shoot in the morning, because I couldn’t wait to taste it… And when the moment came, I was in heaven with angels singing. Well, maybe it wasn’t that perfect, but it was definitely the closest I came to those cheesecakes baked by grandma. Definitely, a recipe to keep.

When someone says “cheesecake” I instantly think about beautiful baked Polish cheesecakes, made of quark-like cheese. When someone says “cheesecake” in Australia, it usually means no-bake cake made of cream cheese but I still always believe someone will serve me something I would call cheesecake. I’m very often disappointed.

Ricotta cheesecake

Ingredients:

the base:
1 cup plain flour
1/4 cup sugar
100g butter

the cheese:
1 1/2 tbsp corn/potato starch
2-3 tbsp water
750g ricotta cheese
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
5 large eggs

Method:

the base:

1. Mix all the ingredients and make a dough.

2. Using your fingertips stretch and spread the dough until it covers the entire base of a small round tin (I used 20cm).

3. Bake 20-25 minutes in 160C. Leave to cool.

the cheese:

1. Mix the starch with water – should be a paste-like consistency.

2. Place all the ingredients, including the starch paste, in a bowl and mix well.

3. Spread over the baked & cooled base.

4. Bake for 90 minutes in 150C.

5. Leave the oven door open and let the cheesecake cool in the oven.

6. When cool enough, place in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or preferably, overnight.

7. Decorate with raspberries, candied lemons, icing sugar, whipped cream or honey.

Enjoy!