On very rare occasions I bake, not because I don’t know how to, but because I end up eating it all and that really isn’t good for my waist line. This is a very simple, yet delicious lemon cheesecake. I made it for a dinner party and it went down so well, I served it with mixed berry sorbet and fresh berries.

Photo: Google (I forgot to take a pic of mine)

INGREDIENTS

320 g ricotta cheese
400 g cream cheese
180 ml cream
4 eggs
50 g egg yolk
140 g caster sugar
Vanilla paste
Zest of 2 lemons
Fresh berries (blue berries, raspberries)

For the biscuit base:

400 g Marie Biscuits, crushed
90 g unsalted butter, softened

EQUIPMENT

Electric beater
20cm non-stick spring form cake tin
Sieve

METHOD
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 55 minutes

Preheat the oven to 180 C.

Combine the crushed biscuits and melted butter. Press mixture into a 20cm springform cake tin, covering the bottom and the sides evenly. Bake the biscuit base in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or till golden brown. Remove and let cool.

For the filling, beat the cream cheese, ricotta and cream until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, including the yolk. Add sugar, zest and vanilla paste and beat well. Pass the filling through a sieve ensuring that the mixture is very smooth. Pour the smooth filling over the cooled base.

Place the cake tin in a larger roasting tray or baking tin. Pour hot water into the larger tin to reach halfway up the sides of the cake tin.

Bake the cheesecake for 45 minutes. Cool to room temperature, and then chill in the fridge thoroughly before slicing and serving.