Beth O’Brien’s hazelnut ricotta cheesecake

For this recipe, I’ve opted for a home-made biscuit base, with equal parts roasted and ground hazelnuts and flour. I’ve used a blend of dairy (sour cream, cream cheese and ricotta) and added an egg yolk as well as eggs, plus vanilla and lemon for flavour and acidity.

1. Line a 7 inch springform tin (base and sides) with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
2. Blend the roasted hazelnuts until finely ground in a food processor (be careful not to over-blend or they will turn into nut butter). Transfer into a mixing bowl and whisk in the flour, sugar and salt. Add the melted butter and combine to form rough crumbs. Press this into the base of the tin and blind bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown and dry to the touch. Remove from the oven and turn down to 165 degrees.
3. Place the cornflour in a bowl and whisk in the cream to form a paste. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until fully combined. Pour this into the tin, and bake for 50-60 minutes until just set, with a slight jiggle when shaken. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before transferring to the fridge to cool fully.
4. Serve cold or at room temperature, either alone or with fresh berries. If you find that the cheesecake cracks as it cools, you can lightly dust the top with icing sugar before serving, although I find that it only adds to the charm.