Honey & Ricotta Cake
This is one of those cakes which you can eat for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner!… It’s a very moist cheesecake, made with creamy ricotta, honey and a sprinkling of thyme leaves. The honey syrup will seem very runny but believe me it works. It’s a Greek recipe from Yasmin Khan’s cookbook ‘Ripe Figs’, you can serve it warm, as a soft pudding or cold when it is set and firm – it’s great with an espresso on the side!
650g ricotta cheese
150ml runny honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon cornflour
Salt
For the topping:
6 tablespoons runny honey
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
1⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*You will need a 20cm springform baking tin, greased with butter and sides lined with baking parchment.
- Place the ricotta in a large bowl and add the honey, vanilla, cinnamon, lemon zest and juice and a pinch of salt. Whisk the mixture until it is smooth and free of any lumps.
- Add the eggs to the cheese mixture along with the cornflour and whisk again.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes, until the top of the cake is golden brown.
- Meanwhile, heat the honey for the topping in a small saucepan with the thyme and cinnamon until it comes to the boil. Switch off the heat and leave the mixture to infuse.
- When the cake is cooked, remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then gently transfer to a serving plate. Reheat the infused honey until it is loose and pourable, then spoon it over the cake.
- You can now either leave it to cool for 10 minutes before serving it as a warm pudding, or leave it until is completely set and serve it cold.
Menu Mistress 