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City Life - 13th March - Baked Amaretto Ricotta Cheesecake
Mon 16th Mar 09 - 14:40
Baked amaretto ricotta cheesecake
By John Branagan
BAKED, or American, cheesecakes as they are also known, tend to use more cream cheese in their fillings than the un-cooked, refrigerator variety
Actually, Italian Ricotta isn't strictly a cheese as it is produced from whey, the liquid that remains after separating out the curds when making cheese.
It is, however, an extremely versatile ingredient and you will find it cropping up time and again in a variety of pasta sauces and Italian salads, as well as in desserts such as this one.
Its name, literally translated, means "re-cooked" and refers to the processes used during its manufacture. It makes a delicious filling when mixed with Amaretto liqueur.
This popular bitter-sweet almond flavoured drink also has a multitude of culinary uses; you will find it in savoury dishes too, Amaretto chicken is a popular example, however in this country it is most often used as a cocktail ingredient or served simply "on the rocks".
As the name implies, Amaretti biscuits also use this liqueur as an ingredient where it is mixed to a paste with egg whites, ground almonds and sugar before being baked.
This is a straightforward recipe that needs little further explanation, however if you use four standard teacups as moulds this will simplify matters further.
After dividing the mixture evenly between the cups, gently tap them on the worktop to expel any air: butterscotch pears make an excellent accompaniment.
Ingredients
140g crushed digestive biscuits
40g unsalted butter
280g ricotta
Three egg yolks
60g caster sugar
160g whipped cream
15g corn flour
50g Amaretti biscuits
4 tbs Amaretto
Method
Crush the digestive biscuits and mix evenly with the melted butter.
Divide the mix into four and push firmly into the bottom of each mould.
Beat the cheese, cornflour and egg yolks together until light.
Add the sugar and fold in, then add the whipped cream and fold in.
Crush the Amaretti biscuits and fold into the mixture with the Amaretto.
Divide the mix between the four moulds and place into a pre-heated oven (200 to 250C) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
