Tuscan Ricotta Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1.5kg Ricotta cheese (or you can use my home-made ricotta cheese recipe to prepare your own)
8 eggs
400g sugar
250ml milk
freshly-grated zest of 2 oranges
freshly-grated zest of 2 lemons
80ml Grand Mariner
1 tbsp clarified butter
30g plain breadcrumbs

Method:

Beat the ricotta cheese until smooth then add the sugar and beat until thoroughly incorporated. Add the milk and zests and beat until combined then add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly to incorporate after each addition. Finally add the Grand Marnier and beat well to combine.

Grease a cheesecake or springform cake tin with the butter then coat lightly with the breadcrumbs. Fill the pan 3/4 full with the Ricotta cheese mix then set in a large roasting tin half-filled with water. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 170°C and bake for about 75 minutes. Turn the oven off at this time and, with the cheesecake still inside, allow to cool naturally for 1 hour.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and set aside on a wire rack. Loosen the sides of the pan (but do not remove) and allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature. At this point remove the sides of the tin then transfer to the refrigerator to chill completely. Serve chilled.