UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE/ Cole Publishing Group -
Cheesecake made the southern Italian way has a rum-ricotta filling encased in sweet almond pastry.
THE PASTRY DOUGH for this special cheesecake may be made a day ahead of serving and refrigerated. This rich treat would make a spectacular finale to a Thanksgiving menu. Note that this cheesecake contains only one egg and therefore does not rise as high as cheesecake made with more eggs.
Italian Cheesecake
INGREDIENTS
1 cup superfine sugar
3 tbsps. water"
5 tbsps. walnuts, chopped
4 tbsps. golden raisins
2 tbsps. rum
3 1/4 cups flour
1 tbsps. baking powder
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/4 cups ground almonds
8 ozs. chilled, unsalted butter,
cut in small pieces
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/4 lbs. plain, whole-milk
cream cheese (or 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese)
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 ozs. milk chocolate,
coarsely chopped
METHOD
1. In a 1-quart saucepan, heat 1/4 cup of the superfine sugar and the water over high heat. When mixture boils and sugar dissolves, walnuts. Continue cooking, swirling pan often, until sugar turns a light brown. Turn out mixture onto an oiled baking sheet and let cool. Break up into small chunks.
2. Combine raisins and rum in a small bowl and set aside to plump for 1 hour.
3. To make dough in a food processor: Combine flour, baking powder, brown sugar and almonds in work bowl of food processor. Process 5 seconds. Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Whisk egg and vanilla together, then add to food processor with motor running. Process just until dough nearly holds together. Turn out dough onto a board and gather into a ball; do not knead or work the dough, even if it doesn't hold together well. Wrap in plastic film and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
TO MAKE DOUGH BY HAND
Stir together flour, baking powder, brown sugar and almonds. Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk egg and vanilla together, then add to flour mixture. Toss lightly with a fork, just until dough holds together. Gather into a ball; do not knead or work the dough, even if it doesn't hold together well. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
4. In a large bowl, combine cheese, the remaining superfine sugar, lemon zest, raisins and rum. Add chocolate pieces and walnut brittle; mix well.
5. Preheat over to 350 degree F.
6. Line the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform baking pan with foil. Place a little more than half of the dough on the bottom of the pan, patting it into place and pushing it part way up the sides. Spoon in cream cheese filling; roll out remaining pastry into a 10-inch round and lay it over the top of the filling. Bake 50 to 55 minutes; top will colour slightly.
7. Transfer cheesecake to a rack and cool in the pan. Release sides of springform pan and gently peel back the foil from the sides. Lift the bottom of the cake gently with a spatula and pull out the foil. Serve barely warm or at room temperature.
Makes one 10-inch cheesecake.
