BAKED RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

SERVES 10 PREP 30 MINS COOK 1 HOUR 10 MINS + CHILLING

1½ cups self-raising flour

125g butter, chilled, chopped

½ cup caster sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tbsp milk icing sugar, chargrilled mandarins (see tip), chocolate curls, to serve

FILLING

500g fresh ricotta

250g cream cheese, softened

½ cup caster sugar

2 eggs

100g dark chocolate, finely chopped grated zest

2 mandarins

1 In a food processor, pulse flour, butter, sugar and cinnamon until fine crumbs form. Add egg and milk. Pulse until dough comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, knead until smooth. Divide into 3 discs. Wrap in plastic wrap, chill 30 mins.

2 Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease and line a 20cm springform pan. Place on an oven tray.

3 Roll one-third of the pastry out between 2 sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Line pan base, trimming to fit. Prick base. Chill 30 mins. Place on an oven tray. Bake 15 mins. Cool completely.

4 FILLING Meanwhile, in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat ricotta, cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Fold chocolate and zest through. Set aside.

5 Roll out the second one-third disc of pastry as before. Use to line side of pan, pressing onto pastry base to seal. Spoon ricotta mixture into the pastry shell.

6 Roll out remaining pastry disc into a round as before. Place over filling, trimming to fit. Press edges together using fingertips.

7 Bake 50-55 mins until pastry is golden. Turn off the heat and cool cake in oven with door ajar. Chill overnight. Dust with icing sugar, then top with chargrilled mandarins and chocolate curls.