Roasted strawberry and ginger ricotta cheesecake

This roasted strawberry and ginger ricotta cheesecake caught my eye every time I perused the recipe ideas in our Pinterest page. It looked so tempting, and yet perhaps a few too many steps for this busy bee.When a family birthday came along right as the strawberry season started, it was all the excuse I needed to try it out.Oh, and is it worth it! The ricotta makes it lighter than a New York style cheesecake; the ginger cuts through all that creaminess; and the balsamic roasted strawberries add a density and sweetness that takes this dessert from lovely to sublime.

It’s also not as sweet as it looks: the only sweetness in the filling comes from a cup of strawberry jam.

I admit, my results weren’t without fault. As you can see in the pictures, I lost a lot of its golden edge removing it from the pan. I suggest lining the sides of the tin as well as the base to avoid this. Also, the centre dropped and cracked as it cooled. I was using an electric hand whisk; perhaps the recommended method of a food processor would avoid that.

The roasted strawberries saved the day, disguising the dip with all their glory. And all was forgiven when we tasted it.

This is yet another great recipe from Australian baker Raspberri Cupcake; her food blog is an adventure in sweet delights.

Serves 8-10 people

• 250g ginger nut biscuits
• 80g butter, melted
• 330g cream cheese, softened
• 500g ricotta
• 325g strawberry jam
• 2 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp finely chopped glace or crystallised ginger
• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
• 4 eggs
• 1.5 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1.5 tbsp water

For the strawberries:

• 500g fresh strawberries
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp good quality balsamic vinegar

1. Grease and line the base of a 20cm round springform tin. 
2. The base: Use a food processor or blender to break down the ginger nut biscuits into even crumbs.
3. Add the melted butter to the crumbs and mix again.
4. Press the crumb mixture into the base of your prepared tin and chill in the fridge for 30 mins.
5. The filling: Preheat the oven to 165°C / 330°F; fan-assisted ovens to 150°C / 300°F.
6. Place the cream cheese, ricotta, strawberry jam, ground ginger, glace ginger and lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until smooth.
7. Mix water and cornflour together in a separate bowl until smooth and then add this and the eggs to the food processor bowl, and pulse until combined.
8. OR If you don’t have a food processor, put the cream cheese and ricotta into a large mixing bowl, and beat them with an electric mixer on high until smooth and fluffy. Add the rest of the ingredients and then beat again until smooth.
9. Pour the mixture over the chilled base and bake for an hour, while you prepare the strawberries.
10. The cheesecake is ready when the edges are just golden; the centre might still be wobbly. Do not remove the cheesecake from the oven – instead, turn off the heat and keep the door closed, allowing the cheesecake to rest in the oven for another hour. Then, remove from the oven and let it cool completely in the tin on a wire rack.
11. The strawberries: Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). 
12. Hull and halve the berries, and then place in an oven-proof dish.
13. Add the brown sugar to berries and toss to coat.
14. Sprinkle the balsamic over the strawberries and toss again.
15. Arrange the strawberries into a single layer in the dish(es), then roast them in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the berries are softened. 
16. Set the strawberries aside to cool completely. (The glaze will thicken as it cools).
17. Putting it all together: Remove cheesecake from its tin and top with the berries just before serving.

The cheesecake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge overnight, with the strawberries separate until you’re ready to serve.