Crazily Good Christmassy Creamy Cassata Cheesecake

Crazily Good Christmassy Creamy Cassata Cheesecake

Mark says: “This is one of my go to recipes when I have people round for dinner, it serves 10 to 12 people, so it is ideal when you have a large gathering and it looks great when you bring it out. Tastes amazing and is a real crowd pleaser, especially at Christmas!”

INGREDIENTS:

• 140g soft Amaretti Biscuits
• 40g Digestive Biscuits
• 60g melted Unsalted Butter plus extra for greasing
• 250g Ricotta
• 250g Mascarpone
• Three large Egg yolks
• Seeds from one split Vanilla Pod
• 80g Caster Sugar
• Three tbsp clear Honey, plus extra to drizzle
• Six Gelatine Sheets
• Six tbsp Golden Rum
• 425ml Double Cream
• 75g Candied Fruit & Citrus Peel, chopped
• 150g red Glacé Cherries & Angelica, roughly chopped
• 75g nibbled Unsalted Pistachios, roughly chopped

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, 160 fan, and grease and line a 20cm cake tin.
2. Crush the Biscuits in a food processor then mix with the melted Butter. Spoon into the tin then
   press down in an even layer using the back of a metal spoon, bake for five minutes, then remove from the oven to cool completely.
3. Using a free standing or hand mixer, beat the Ricotta, Mascarpone, Egg yolks, Vanilla seeds, Sugar and Honey for two minutes until smooth and fluffy.
4. Soak the Gelatine Sheets in a small bowl of cold water for five minutes. Meanwhile, heat the Rum in a small pan until almost boiling, then remove from the heat.
5. Squeeze any excess water from the Gelatine, add to the warm rum, stirring until dissolved, then strain through a sieve into the cheesecake mixture, mix well.
6. In a separate bowl, beat the cream to soft peaks, then fold through the cheesecake mix, leave to stand in a cool place for 25 minutes.
7. Fold through most of the Fruit, Peel, Cherries, Angelica and Pistachios, then spoon into the cake tin, smooth the top, then scatter over the remaining fruit and nuts.
8. Cover loosely with foil and chill for three hours or overnight, remove from the tin and serve with extra honey drizzled over the top.

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