Fresh Spring Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
| Cottage cheese | 700 Gram, sieved | |
| 4 medium-sized eggs | ||
| Vinegar | 1 Teaspoon | |
| Honey | 175 Milliliter | |
| Finely grated zest of 1 orange, plus 2 tablespoons juice | ||
| Cream of tartar | 1 Pinch | |
| Icing Sugar | 1 Tablespoon | |
| Icing Sugar | 1 Tablespoon, mixed | |
| Freshly ground cinnamon | ||
| PASTRY | ||
| Plain flour | 350 Gram | |
| Baking powder | 1/2 Teaspoon | |
| Salt | 1 Pinch | |
| Grated zest of 1 lemon | ||
| Olive oil | 125 Milliliter | |
| Mavrodaphne | 125 Milliliter | |
Directions
Start by making the pastry.
Sift the flour, icing sugar, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
Mix in the lemon zest and make a well in the centre.
Pour the oil and wine into the well and mix with a wooden spoon until well incorporated.
Turn onto a floured work surface and knead 5-7 minutes, adding flour if necessary to make soft, smooth dough.
Cover and put aside for an hour or two to relax.
Break the pastry into two-thirds, and one-third portions.
Roll out the larger portion to a circle 38-40 cm (15-16 in) in diameter.
Oil a 23 cm (9 in) push-bottom spring-release cake tin and fit in the pastry in the bottom and up the sides, letting the excess hang out.
Roll out the remaining pastry to a rectangle as wide as the cake tin and about 8 mm (1/3) in) thick.
Cut into strips.
For the filling separate the eggs, putting 4 yolks and 2 whites in a large bowl.
Put the remaining 2 whites in a smaller bowl which has been wiped with a cloth dampened with vinegar.
Beat the egg yolks and whites with the honey and grated orange zest and juice until golden and slightly frothy.
To lighten the cheese, beat it with a wooden spoon, or put it in a food processor for a few seconds.
Beat in the egg mixture.
Whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar.
As they form soft peaks add the icing sugar and continue whisking until stiff, shiny peaks form.
Gingerly fold the egg whites into the cheese mixture.
Fill the pastry case with the cheese mixture.
Place the pastry strips over the top, criss-crossing them in a basket-weave pattern.
Crimp the edges attractively.
Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F, gas 4) for 1-1 1/2 hours, until the pastry is golden and a skewer comes out clean when the filling is pierced.
Cool, then sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon mixture.
Sift the flour, icing sugar, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
Mix in the lemon zest and make a well in the centre.
Pour the oil and wine into the well and mix with a wooden spoon until well incorporated.
Turn onto a floured work surface and knead 5-7 minutes, adding flour if necessary to make soft, smooth dough.
Cover and put aside for an hour or two to relax.
Break the pastry into two-thirds, and one-third portions.
Roll out the larger portion to a circle 38-40 cm (15-16 in) in diameter.
Oil a 23 cm (9 in) push-bottom spring-release cake tin and fit in the pastry in the bottom and up the sides, letting the excess hang out.
Roll out the remaining pastry to a rectangle as wide as the cake tin and about 8 mm (1/3) in) thick.
Cut into strips.
For the filling separate the eggs, putting 4 yolks and 2 whites in a large bowl.
Put the remaining 2 whites in a smaller bowl which has been wiped with a cloth dampened with vinegar.
Beat the egg yolks and whites with the honey and grated orange zest and juice until golden and slightly frothy.
To lighten the cheese, beat it with a wooden spoon, or put it in a food processor for a few seconds.
Beat in the egg mixture.
Whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar.
As they form soft peaks add the icing sugar and continue whisking until stiff, shiny peaks form.
Gingerly fold the egg whites into the cheese mixture.
Fill the pastry case with the cheese mixture.
Place the pastry strips over the top, criss-crossing them in a basket-weave pattern.
Crimp the edges attractively.
Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F, gas 4) for 1-1 1/2 hours, until the pastry is golden and a skewer comes out clean when the filling is pierced.
Cool, then sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon mixture.
Chef
