Recipe: Baked Breakfast Cheesecake (no crust, using ricotta, cream cheese or goat cheese)

BAKED BREAKFAST CHEESECAKE



"I know the idea of cheesecake for breakfast sounds odd, but this simple recipe is a great way to start the day, especially if you serve it with some fresh berries or a fruit compote. It is incredibly easy to throw together since there's no crust, and you can get it on the table in little more than half an hour. Besides making a luxurious weekend breakfast or brunch, it is also a delicious dessert."

21 ounces ricotta cheese or cream cheese, or soft, very mild goat cheese (preferably unsalted)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
3 tablespoons quick oats, fine semolina, or whole-wheat pastry flour*
A good pinch of sea salt**
1/2 cup superfine sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Finely grated zest of 2 small oranges, plus 1 tablespoon juice
3 tablespoons raisins (optional)
TO SERVE:
Fresh fruit or fruit compote
Yogurt or sour cream (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously butter a 9-inch springform cake pan.

Beat the cheese with a wooden spoon until smooth, then add the melted butter, oatmeal, semolina, or flour, salt, sugar, eggs, and orange zest and juice, and mix well (feel free to whiz the ingredients in a food processor).

Fold in the raisins, if using. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan

Bake for about 25 minutes, until just set, with a slight wobble in the center.

Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature with some fresh fruit or fruit compote, and, if you like, yogurt or sour cream.

*Until recently, I thickened the cheese mixture with a little semolina or flour, but I tried using oatmeal instead and the result was so successful that I now usually do it this way.

**If using salted goat cheese, don't add salt to the recipe.

Makes 10 servings
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Ten Speed Press
Source: River Cottage Every Day by Hugh-Fearnley Whittingstall