Healthier Vanilla Cheesecake
Shop bought cheesecake can contain a massive number of calories per serving. I’ve employed some smart tricks here to reduce the calorie content to something much more acceptable. Serve just as it is, or top with fresh berries and crushed amaretti biscuits.
Ingredients
- oil, for spraying or brushing
- 750 g ricotta cheese
- 75 g caster sugar
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 4 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
To serve
- 15 g amaretti biscuits (2-3), lightly broken (optional)
- 100 g raspberries
- fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 tsp icing sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/Fan 150°C/Gas 3.5. Grease the sides of a 23cm spring-clip cake tin and line with baking parchment. Cover the outside of the tin with one or two large pieces of foil to prevent water getting in. Place the cake tin in a deep roasting tin.
- Drain the ricotta cheese and put it in a mixing bowl. Mix the sugar with the cornflour, then add the mixture to the ricotta. Using electric whisk, beat until well combined. Gradually add the eggs and yolks, one at a time, whisking well in between each addition. Stir in the lemon zest and vanilla. The mixture will be very soft and light.
- Pour all of the cheese mixture slowly into the prepared tin. Fill the roasting tin with just-boiled water halfway up the cheesecake tin. Carefully transfer the tin to the centre of the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes. Do not allow the cheesecake to brown. If it does start to brown while it is still very wobbly, cover the tin loosely with a large piece of foil.
- When the cheesecake is ready, turn the oven off and open the door slightly. Wedge a folded tea towel or wooden spoon in the door to keep it ajar and leave the cheesecake to cool completely. This will take 3–4 hours and should prevent the top from cracking. When the cake is completely cool, transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 2 hours before removing it from the tin.
- Slide a knife around the top of the cheesecake, cover with a serving plate and turn over carefully onto the plate. Loosen the sides and gently lift the tin off. Remove the base and slowly strip off the lining paper. Top with broken Amaretti biscuits, raspberries, mint leaves and a light dusting of icing sugar.
