This is our no-fuss but utterly delicious Italian spin on cheesecake. For this dessert, we don’t even bother to waste time making a traditional crust; instead, amaretto cookie crumbs provide a crunchy element that doesn’t distract from the velvety nature of the cake. A sweet-tart granita offers a counterbalance to the cake and fresh peaches on top make it just as beautiful to look at as it is to eat.
Serves: 10-12
Preheat oven to 350˚F. In a small bowl, mix together butter and cookie crumbs until well combined. Place on a jelly roll pan and toast for 6 to 8 minutes. Reserve.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add cream cheese and mix on low for 5 minutes. Add ricotta and sugar and mix 3 to 4 minutes. Add flour, vanilla and zests and mix until just combined. Add eggs and mix for 2 minutes.
Butter a 9’’ springform pan and add batter. Place pan in a roasting pan that is same height or taller than springform. Add very hot tap water to roasting pan until water reaches halfway up springform. (Be careful to keep water out of springform.) Delicately place pan in oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until cake has just set and top is very light golden brown. Remove from oven and allow cake to cool to room temperature in pan. Place in refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours.
In a small saucepan, add lemon juice, zest, sugar and water and heat on medium until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Strain zest. Place mixture in metal bowl, cover with Saran and freeze. Stir mixture occasionally until frozen.
In a medium bowl, add peaches and toss with honey.
To assemble dessert: slice cake and sprinkle generous amount of cookie crumbs onto serving plate. Add slice of cake and top with several spoonfuls of peaches. Using a fork, scrape granita into a large spoonful and add to serving plate.
