Title: Almond, lemon and ricotta cake
 Categories: Cakes, Cheese, Desserts, New
      Yield: 1 Servings
 
    250 g  Blanched almonds
     70 g  Plain flour
      7    Lemons, finely grated zest
      3    Lemons, juice of
    225 g  Unsalted butter, softened
    250 g  Caster sugar
      6    Eggs, separated
    300 g  Fresh ricotta cheese
 
  Makes 1 x 25.5cm/10 in cake.
  
  1. Preheat oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Butter a 25.5cm/10in round cake
  tin and line with greaseproof paper.
  
  2. Coarsely chop the almonds in a food processor. Combine with the
  flour and lemon zest.
  
  3. Beat the butter and sugar together in a mixer until pale and
  light. Add the egg yolks one by one, then add the almond mixture.
  
  4. Put the ricotta in a bowl and lightly beat with a fork. Add the
  lemon juice. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until they form
  soft peaks. Fold the egg whites into the almond mixture and finally
  stir in the ricotta.
  
  5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated
  oven for 35-40 minutes until set. Test by inserting a skewer, which
  should come out clean. Remove from tin while warm, and cool on a rack.
  
  NOTES : Go on - just a slice. To serve any time, but especially as a
  new-style pudding. Ricotta is a fresh, soft, mild cheese,
  traditionally made fro mthe whey left behind when the curds had been
  used for other cheeses. It's not so rich as mascarpone, and often
  used in cooking, as a filling for pasta or for sweet or savoury
  tarts.