Monday, June 6, 2011

Ricotta and Honey Cheesecake/ Gwyenth's duck fat potatoes

I had a bit of Royal Wedding fever last month and purchased the commemorative Australian Women's Weekly edition.  I forgot how much I really like this magazine - it always feels as though you have had a great read at the end of it, and it is full of words, instead of pictures like most 'women's magazines.'  This edition also made me eat a bit of humble pie as I thought that Gwyneth Paltrow and her blog 'Gloop' were full of nutty rich people food and travel ideas (they mostly are) but some of the recipes from her new cookbook were published.  I was taken with the delicious picture of 'Crispy Potato and Garlic Cake' and, using rendered duck fat from previous cooking experiments made the most delicious potato dish I've ever had.  Super yum Yummy potato dish.

In the same edition there is also a really delicious cheesecake recipe that I have been meaning to make.  Yesterday I made cream cheese, and I'll be making some ricotta again later so I have everything I need.

Ricotta and Honey Cheesecake - by Pete Evans, Australian Women's Weekly, May 2011

150g plain biscuits
1/4 cup caster sugar
90g unsalted butter, melted
250g cream cheese, softened  (have a go at making it with a Mad Millie kit)!!
2.5 cups (600g) ricotta cheese
1 cup caster sugar
1 TBSP cornflour
4 eggs
2 tsps grated lemon or orange rind
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBSP honey
1/3 cup (45g) unsalted sheeled pistachios

1.  Preheat oven to 180C.  Greast a 22cm springform pan; wrap the  outside of the pan with two layers of foil.
2. Finely crush biscuits.  Combine the crumbs, sugar and butter in a medium bowl.  Press crumbs evenly over the base of the pan and refrigerate.
3. Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth.  Add ricotta and sugar, beat for about 2 minutes or until smooth.  Beat in cornflour.   Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until combined between additions. Beat in rind and vanilla.  Pour filling into pan.
4. Place springform pan in a large baking dish.  Pour enough boiling water into the baking dish to come halfway up the side of the pan.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Reduce the temperature to 140C and Bake for a further 30 minutes until almost set.  The centre of the cheesecake should move slightly when the pan is shaken gently.
5. Remove the pan from the water; cool on a wire rack.  Cover; refrigerate for about six hours or until cold.
6. Serve drizzled with honey and sprinkled with pistachios.

2 comments:

  1. Difference between marscapone and cream cheese?

    Also... do you have any leftovers?

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  2. I don't know what the actual difference is. The cream cheese that I made uses one of the cultures - would you like to borrow some of the culture and work out the difference yourself?? You only need a couple of grains to make it. I can think of more similiarities than differences.

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