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Italian Cheesecake
Author/Submitted by:
Servings: 10
Categories:
Cheesecakes
/
Desserts
Ingredients:
-----SHORTBREAD CRUST----- 1 1/2
cups
Flour, sifted 1/3
cup
Sugar 1
Egg,
separated
1/2
cup
Butter,
softened
1
teaspoon
Lemon rind,
grated
1
teaspoon
Amaretto
-----CHEESECAKE----- 3 1/4
cups
Ricotta cheese,
30 Oz
4
Eggs,
Large
2/3
cup
Sugar,
Granulated
1/4
cup
Unbleached Flour 1/4
cup
Amaretto 3
tablespoons
Golden raisins 1
tablespoon
Candied orange peel,
finely chopped
1
tablespoon
Candied lemon peel,
finely chopped
Directions:
1.
CRUST: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Working on a large flat surface, such as a pastry board, place the flour and the sugar in the center of the surface and mix together. Form a small depression or well in the center of the mound. Lightly beat an egg yolk and add it, grated lemon rind, amaretto liqueur, and the softened butter to the well, ten blend these with the dry mixture. Mix the ingredients thoroughly using your hands -- there's no substitute for warm hands. Shape the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 10 minutes.
2.
Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/4-inch. You should have a circle of about 11 inches in diameter. For best results, roll out your dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper, then peel away the paper and cut the crust in a 9-inch circle. Place the circle inside a 9-inch springform pan. Prick the crust several times with a fork to keep the crust from puffing up during the baking. Place the springform pan in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until light brown. Allow to cool.
3.
Using the leftover dough, line the sides of the springform pan. Press the dough against the sides of the pan, smoothing it so as to have a continuous layer of crust all the way around the sides of the pan. Make sure that the side crust meets the bottom crust all the way around. Brush the reserved egg white onto the shell, covering the bottom and sides. This will seal the dough and keep it from becoming soggy. Set aside until ready to use.
4.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Press the ricotta through a sieve. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the drained cheese, eggs, sugar, and flour. Stir in the liqueur, raisins and fruits. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust and bake for 1 hour. Remove the cake from the oven and cool to room temperature. Chill before serving.
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