Ingredients
The following ingredients have 4 Servings
- Unsalted butter
- for greasing cake pan
- 3 pounds whole-milk ricotta
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 large eggs
- separated
- Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon Strega liqueur (Cointreau or Triple Sec may be substituted)
Instruction
- Position a rack in the center of the oven
- Preheat to 400ºF
- Butter a 9-inch spring form pan and place on a baking sheet
- In a strand mixer fit with the paddle, beat the cheese, sugar, egg yolks, lemon zest, vanilla and liqueur on medium until very smooth, about 4 minutes
- Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and wipe out the mixer bowl
- Put the egg whites in the mixer bowl and whip until soft peaks form
- Fold the whites by thirds into the cheese mixture
- Pour mixture into the prepared baking pan and level it
- Put the cake in the oven and immediately lower the heat to 350ºF
- Bake until the cake has risen higher on the sides than in the middle and is set but jiggling in the center, 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Turn off the oven and prop the door open; a wine cork is a good tool for propping the door open just enough
- (Be careful not to let if fall into the oven
- ) Let the cake cool completely in the oven for 1 hour, then cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours or overnight before removing the springform sides
- Slice and serve
