1. prepare cooking dish
9" springform pan, grease with butter and line bottom of pan with a butter paper or cut out a piece of greaseproof paper to fit (trace around bottom of pan), then flour inside pan (that is place a small spoon of flour in greased pan and roll around over sink until flour thinly coats
2. prepare oven -set at 175C or 300F(which is 167.5C) and place a baking dish one third filled with water about 1/3 way up oven. Turn oven on to heat. Spring form pan is to be placed in this dish of water.
3. get out mixmaster
Ingredients
1. 900g ricotta cheese (I bought from Coles - low fat)
place in mixmaster bowl and turn on about 2 (lowish) and beat to smooth
2. ADD 1 1/2 pkt (250g * 1.5=375g or about 3/4 lb) Philadelphia cream cheese
soften to room temperature first is best , otherwise it takes a while to break up as beat in. You can use 1 pkt for a lighter cake or 2 pkts for a creamier cake. I tried 1 pkt this time, and will try 1.5 next time.
3. ADD 1/4 cup caster sugar ( any sugar is OK, but white caster is preferable). I added 4 rounded large silver dessertspoons (could add up to 6 spoon for a sweet tooth)
4. ADD 2 large tablespoons plain flour - I used. Next time I'm going to try cornflour.
(4 of these tablespoons is half cup measure- add between 2 and 4 tablespoons, ie 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup. You can also add 2 tablespoons almond meal as well or instead of the plain flour. That is, between 2 and 4 tablespoons(1/4 - 1/2 cup) in total of flour- plain or almond meal or mixture)
5. ADD 2 large eggs, one at a time ( takes a while to beat in). Can use 3 or even 4 large eggs- I tried 2 this time, with just 2 tablespoons of plain flour and no almond meal.
For a drier caked , use more flour and almond meal.
6. Flavour
a. 2 lemons- grate rind from outside and add, also juice lemons- add 2 to 3 level large dessertspoons This just gives a slight lemon taste , almost a plain taste- great of you add berries or even add in 1/2 cup to a full cup of cheddar cheese to this amount of lemon and vanilla essence for a cheddar cheeese cake flavour! Google on welsh cheddar chhese cake- one recipe added 1/4 cup of beer as well as the chedddar cheese!
Lemon taste
For a real lemon taste add up to 6 spoons or grating rind of 3 lemons and juice of at least 1/2 cup. Some people add a spoon of honey as well.I didn't.
b. Optional vanilla essence pure ( I used 1/2 capful- but optional, and next time use only 1/4 capful or 2-3 drops).
Other flavours would be rum, scotch or brandy. I've read of brany soaked mixed peel or brandy soaked mixed fruit, or rum soaked raisins as well- these are stirred in aprt of mix at end and put in a bottom layer or stirred thru whole mix, depending on result required.
6. Put in springform pan(already greased and floured) and plave in oven- set alarm for 30 mins. Check top is going golden- turn off oven at 30 mins to 45 mins (all ovens vary), keep door closed for a further 15 mins to 30 mins, - a skewer should be clean when stuck in middle and removed, and top should be bouncy. Then open door slightly and cook/cool gradually for another 30 mins (this prevents cracking and finishes cooking middle nicely.
7. Remove , refrigerate for an hour or two- serve with berries or any kind, cream, or by itself.
------------------------------------
Biscuit bottom- I don't really like, but if you want one
either buy a pkt of biscuits(like Arnotts nice or similar). roll in a plastic bag with a rolling pin or crush in a blender or similar...
then just add about 125g or a tablesppon pf melted butter- just enough to make thick and push into a base-thinly as possible
Pastry bottom
1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1/3 cup icing sugar
125 g butter
1 egg yolk
mix together , bake about 175-200C for 10 mins - until golden- remove and cool