Dessert Recipes - Ricotta Pudding Recipe

Ingredients

• 175 g/6 oz/1 1/2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour

• A pinch of salt

• 40 g/1 1/2 oz/3 tbsp hard block margarine, diced

• 40 g/1 1/2 oz/3 tbsp white vegetable fat (shortening), diced

• Cold water, to mix

• 2 eggs, separated

• 175 g/6 oz/3/4 cup caster (superfine) sugar

• 175 g/6 oz/3/4 cup Ricotta cheese, sieved (strained)

• 40 g/1 1/2 oz/1/3 cup ground almonds

• 45 ml/3 tbsp sultanas (golden raisins)

• 15 ml/1 tbsp chopped mixed (candied) peel

• Finely grated rind of 1/2 lemon

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Method:

1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the fats and rub in with the fingertips until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Mix with enough cold water to form a firm dough.

2. Knead gently on a lightly floured surface. Roll out and use to line a 20 cm/8 in flan dish (pie pan). Prick the base with a fork.

3. Fill with crumpled foil and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 5 minutes to dry out.

4. Whisk together the egg yolks and 50 g/2 oz/1/4 cup of the sugar until thick and pale. Beat in the cheese, almonds, sultanas, mixed peel and lemon rind.

5. Turn into the pastry case (pie shell). Bake in the oven at 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 for 25 minutes until firm to the touch.

6. Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Whisk in half the remaining sugar, then fold in the remainder.

7. Pile on top of the flan and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes until the meringue is just turning color. Serve warm or cold.