Baked ricotta cheesecake

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C/gas 4.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until pale yellow. In another bowl, beat the ricotta until smooth.

3. If your ricotta looks grainy when you remove it from the packaging, run it through a food mill with the medium-sized sieve attached. This adds air and smooths the consistency of the cheese.

4. Gradually mix in the eggs and sugar. Stir in the vanilla, followed by the candied peel.

5. Pour into a 25cm springform tin and bake for 1 1/4 hours. Do not open the oven door while it is cooking. Check after this time - the middle should be pale and the edges raised and golden brown.

6. Switch off the oven and with the door slightly ajar, leave the cake inside to cool for an hour. Remove and cool completely on a cooling rack.

7. Line a flat, lipless plate with paper towels. Unclip the tin and run a thin spatula gently around the edges of the cake to loosen it.

8. Put the lined plate, towels facing down, on top of the cake and flip over. Line another plate with towels and flip again so the cake is top side up. Wrap the cake in more paper towels and refrigerate for 12 hours.

9. Repeat the process with the paper towels and 2 plates, changing the towels to soak up the moisture from the cake. The towels will get very wet. Leave in the fridge for another 12 hours, wrapped in more paper towels.

10. Take the cake out of the fridge 2 hours before serving. Flip once again on to a paper towel-covered plate and finally flip onto a pretty serving plate.