Buttermilk ricotta and peach cake

Frozen firm-ripe peaches work beautifully here. Vanilla beans are more flavorful than vanilla extract, and also more expensive. So if you are watching your budget, you could use 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract in place of the bean.

After about 40 minutes, I moved the rack to the middle of the oven and baked the cake for about 8 minutes. The cake set perfectly and showed off a golden brown crumb.

For preparing the pan, make Pan Goo by whisking together ¼ cup neutral oil and ⅓ cup all-purpose flour. Then brush it onto the pan.

Makes: 10 to 12 servings

For the buttermilk ricotta:

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

¾ cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

1 teaspoon coarse salt

For the cake:

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon coarse salt

¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided 2 large eggs

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon) 1 cup sliced firm-ripe peaches, ½-inch thick

1. In a small saucepan, combine milk, cream and buttermilk over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 200 degrees on a candy thermometer and curds begin to form, about 15 minutes.

2. Add lemon juice and give it one last stir. Then remove the pan from the heat and let it sit undisturbed for 30 minutes.

3. Stir in the salt. Drain the curds in the refrigerator overnight through a triple layer of cheesecloth set in a colander over a bowl. The cheese should be firm enough to just hold its shape and measure a little over 1 cup when it’s ready.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the upper-third position. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with Pan Goo.

5. In a small bowl, powder and salt.

6. In a large bowl, whisk the ricotta, ¾ cup sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla seeds and lemon zest until the mixture is rich and creamy.

7. Stir the dry ingredients into the ricotta mixture until just combined. Then scrape the batter into the pan.

8. Scatter the sliced peaches on top of the batter and sprinkle with the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar.

9. Bake the cake until the edges are golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs, about 45 minutes.

10. Transfer the pan to a wire rack. Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes before removing the collar from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. whisk together the flour, baking