Pecan and ricotta cheesecake

ingredients

• Pecan and ricotta cheesecake

  • 200 gram digestive biscuits, crushed
  • 80 gram unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
  • 1/2 cup (60g) finely chopped pecans
  • strawberries, hulled, quartered, to serve
  • pure icing sugar, to dust

• Ricotta filling

  • 500 gram fresh ricotta
  • 1/2 cup (60g) almond meal
  • 1/2 cup (110g) firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup (125g) finely chopped pecans

method

• Pecan and ricotta cheesecake

  • 1

    Preheat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced). Combine biscuit and butter. Press over base of a 23cm springform pan. Chill for 30 minutes, until firm.

  • 2

    Meanwhile, to make ricotta filling, use an electric mixer to beat ricotta, almond meal, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in nuts.

  • 3

    Pour filling into pan over biscuit base. Bake for 1 hour, until lightly golden and just set. Mixture may still be a little wobbly in centre. Cool in pan, then chill until cold.

  • 4

    To make pecan toffee, grease a baking tray. Heat caster sugar and 1 tablespoon of water in a small pan on low for 4-5 minutes, until a deep amber colour.

  • 5

    Add pecans and shake to coat. Pour onto tray and cool. Using a rolling pin, roughly crush toffee. Scatter toffee and strawberry over wedges of cake, dust with icing sugar and serve.