RUSSIAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F & butter a 10-inch or 11-inch springform cake pan. Remove the base of the pan from the sides & lay a piece of parchment paper over the base, then replace the sides to hold the paper in place.
• FOR THE CRUST: Use a food processor or quality blender to pulse together all the crust ingredients, forming a stiff dough.
• Roll out the dough & press it into the bottom of the cake pan, then bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven & cool.
• FOR THE CHEESECAKE: In a large mixer bowl, combine cream cheese, ricotta & 1 cup of the granulated sugar, beating with an electric mixer for 3 minutes or until the mixture is smooth.
• Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add the juice & zest of the lemon, along with the flour, & mix well until combined.
• In another bowl & with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they foam, then sprinkle the remaining half cup of sugar onto the egg whites while the mixer is running. When all the sugar has been added, turn the mixer speed to high & beat the egg whites until they are thick & glossy.
• In yet another bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form.
• Fold the beaten cream, along with the egg whites, into the cheese mixture & combine thoroughly.
• Pour the batter into the cooled crust, then (if using) sprinkle the sultanas over the batter & gently stir a few in so that they will drop below the surface.
• Bake the cheesecake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300 degrees F & bake for another 60 minutes. Turn off the oven heat & LEAVE THE CAKE IN THE OVEN UNDISTURBED.
• When the cheesecake has cooled, remove it from the oven & chill overnight.
• Transfer the cheesecake to a platter & gently ease the paper out from under the cake.
• Sprinkle the cheesecake with powdered sugar before serving.