This sweet, honeyed cheesecake with a pine nut base retains the wonderfully distinctive texture of ricotta with the added creaminess of mascarpone.

Ingredients: (Serves 8)

• 140 g/5 oz finely ground disgestive crumbs
• 55 g/2 oz butter, melted
• 55 g/2 oz toasted pine nuts
• 230 g/8 oz ricotta cheese
• 230 g/8 oz mascarpone cheese
• 5 tablespoons sour cream
• 175 ml/6 fl oz clear honey
• 2 teaspoons cornflour, dissolved in 1 teaspoon cold water
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 4 eggs, beaten

Method:

Grease a 20-cm/8-inch round springform cake tin. Stir the crumbs into the melted butter along with the pine nuts. Spread the crumbs over the base and about halfway up the sides of the tin, pressing down firmly. Chill for 30 minutes. Wrap the tin in two layers of foil.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 170ºC/325ºF/Gas mark 3. Beat together the ricotta and mascarpone until smooth and creamy, then beat in the sour cream, honey, lemon zest and cornflour, followed by the eggs.

Pour the filing over the crumb base and place the cake tin in a roasting tin. Pour boiling water into the roasting tin to about 2.5-3.5 cm/1-1½ inch deep. Cook for about 1 hour and 25 minutes until set (but still with a wobble in the centre). Transfer the tin to a wire rack to cool completely, then chill overnight before carefully turning out the cheesecake and serving.