Baked Cheesecake (Vegetarian)

PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes
BAKING TIME: at least 1 1/4 hours
REFRIGIRATION AND SETTING TIME: 24 hours
YIELD: one 20 cm (8-inch) cheesecake

Crust
1/4 cup (60 ml) softened butter
1/4 cup (60 ml) sugar
1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla essence
1 cup (250 ml) unbleached plain flour
1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking powder

Filling
500 g (17 1/2 ounces) ricotta cheese
500 g (17 1/2 ounces) softened cream cheese
1/3 cup (85 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) sugar
2 tablespoons (40 ml) arrowroot powder, or 1 table spoon (20 ml) cornflour
1 1/3 cups (335 ml) fresh cream
1 1/2 teaspoons (7 ml) pure vanilla essence

1. To prepare the crust: cream the butter and sugar and add the vanilla. Sift the flour and the baking powder. Combine the flour mixture with the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Pat it into the bottom of a buttered 25 cm (10-inch) cheesecake pan.
2. To prepare the filling: place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly with a beater until light and fluffy. Do not over-mix. Spoon the mixture into the pan on top of the uncooked crust.
3. Place in the middle of a pre-heated 180 degrees Celcius / 355 degrees Farenheit oven and bake for 1 1/4 hours or until lightly golden brown on top. The cake is done when the entire surface is golden brown.
4. Remove the cheesecake from the over; allow it to cool. Refrigerate it for at least 20 to 24 hours before serving. Decorate it with cream and fruits if desired.

(Source: Great Vegetarian Dishes: Over 240 recipes from around the world by Kurma dasa. See more on http://www.kurma.net/)
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Ingrid's Notes:

• Cornflour = Corn starch
• Alternatively, I used crushed graham crackers with butter to make the crust:
• 2 cups (500 ml) graham cracker crumbs, coarsely ground
  1/3 cup (85 ml) melted butter
• To prepared the crust: combine the graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press the crumb mixture into the base and 2.5 cm (1-inch) up the sides of a 20 cm (8-inch) spring-form pan. Chill the base for 1/2 hour.

Happy cooking!

(Other Keywords: dairy, vegetarian, cream cheese)