Ale’s Italian cheesecake

If you’re ready to give an Italian twist to your classic cheesecake recipe, then look no more: this is the one! The Ricotta cheese is the secret ingredient behind its light and smooth texture, while the combination of cinnamon and honey is what gives its crust the right amount of spice. Did I tell you that you don’t need any special tool to prepare it? Just a bowl and a spoon. Are you baking it yet?

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Ingredients (for a 22 or 24 cm mold)

For the crust:

• 250 g of digestive biscuits (alternatively dry shortbread)

• 65 gr of melted butter

• 1 tsp honey

• 1 tsp cinnamon

For the cream cheese filling:

• 450 g Philadelphia cheese

• 300 g Ricotta cheese

• 65 g sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 egg yolk

• 100 g heavy cream

• 25 g Maizena

• 2 Tbs of filtered lemon juice

• 1 Tbs of vanilla extract

For the topping:

• 100 g sour cream*

• 200 g raspberry jam

• 3 Tbs of fresh berries

Method

1. Crust: mash the cookies with the help of a mixer, then add in honey, cinnamon and melted butter and mix well. Pour into a springform mold and line the bottom and the edges of your pan with this mixture. Freeze for at least 30 minutes;

2. Filling: in a separate bowl whip all of the cheese and sugar, then add in eggs and vanilla extract while mixing. When this mixture is creamy and there is no more cheese lump in it, add in heavy cream, lemon juice and Maizena and mix again. Your filling is now ready! Pour it onto the frozen crust and bake at 160 C for 55 minutes, then raise the oven temperature to 170C and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake sit in there for 10 more minutes. Finally let cool on the kitchen counter until you can safely handle it (around 30 minutes to 1 hour). Place in the fridge for 3 hours, then remove it from its mold by quickly turning it upside down onto a plate. Spread a couple of spoons of sour cream on top and let it sit in your fridge for 8/10 hours or possibly overnight;

3. Topping: When you’re ready to serve it, top it with jam and fresh berries. You’re all done!

*If you cannot find sour cream, you can make your own! Pour 75 g of heavy cream, 75 g plain Greek yogurt and 1 Tbs lemon juice into a bowl then mix them until combined.