Sicilian Cheesecake with Lemon & Pine Nuts

Sicilian Cheesecake with Lemon & Pine Nuts

Sicilian Cheesecake with Lemon & Pine Nuts

Sicilian Cheesecake with Lemon & Pine Nuts

A creamy cheesecake with a zesty lemon flavor, topped with crunchy pine nuts for a delightful balance of textures.

Ingredients

SEMOLINA SPONGE CAKE

  • 250g caster sugar
  • 2 lemons, fine zest and juice
  • 1/2 vanilla pod
  • 200g That's Amore Mascarpone
  • 2 eggs
  • 145g plain flour
  • 85g semolina
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 80ml light canola oil

CHEESECAKE

  • 150g cream
  • 350g That's Amore Ricotta Delicata
  • 75g icing sugar
  • 50g That's Amore Mascarpone
  • 1/2 lemon, fine zest and juice
  • 1/2 vanilla pod

HONEY BAKED PINE NUTS & PINE NUT BUTTER

  • 200g pine nuts
  • 100g honey
  • 50g caster sugar
  • pinch of salt

WHITE CHOCOLATE

  • 80g white chocolate, melted
  • pink & yellow food colouring

ASSEMBLY

  • 200g lemon curd, store bought

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180°C and grease a 20cm X 20cm cake tin, lined neatly with baking paper. Prepare semolina sponge cake by adding caster sugar, zest of two lemons and vanilla into a bowl. Use your fingertips to rub it all together.

Step 2

Add mascarpone, eggs and juice from two lemons. Mix well to eradicate lumps - you should have a milky consistency. Add this to sugar mixture along with oil. Mix well. Sieve flour and baking powder into a large bowl, then add semolina and salt. Add liquid mixture in and use a spatula to combine.

Step 3

Pour batter into prepared cake tin and baked for 45-50 mins or until the top is golden brown and a skewer comes out clean from the centre once inserted. Leave to cool before turning out onto a cake rack. Prepare pine nuts by placing them in a heatproof bowl along with honey, sugar and salt. Heat for 20 seconds in microwave until runny. Mix well and pour mixture onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Baked for 10-12 mins in oven or until nuts are golden brown. Leave to cool on paper and then store in a sealed container.

Step 4

Divide melted white chocolate into two small containers and colour each one pink and yellow. Use a pastry brush to brush the two chocolates on the inside of the four dessert glasses or bowls.

Step 5

Prepare cheesecake by whisking cream to firm peaks. Add ricotta and icing sugar into a mixing bowl and mix well to eliminate lumps. Add mascarpone, lemon and vanilla and mix again. Fold cream into mixture and set aside. To assemble, use a sharp knife to cut the cake into 2cm square cubes of sponge.

Step 6

Transfer lemon curd into a piping bag or spoon a table spoon into bottom of each glass. Keep four nice clusters of candied pine nuts aside for finishing. Add remaining pine nuts into a small blender and blitz on high until you have a smooth paste. If paste is too thick, add small amount of warm water. Spoon a teaspoon of pine nut butter into bottom of each glass.

Step 7

Add a few sponge cubes to each glass and reserve the rest of sponge cake. Pipe or spoon a couple of tablespoons of cheesecake into each dessert glass.

Step 8

Pipe more curd into each glass and add more sponge cubes.

Step 9

Add more cheesecake to each glass and finish with a cluster of candied pine nuts in each. Serve immediately.

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