Entertaining Dessert Italian

Harvest cheesecake with roasted grapes

Name: Baked cheesecake with roasted grapes recipe
Yield: 12
Cuisine: /italian
Ingredients: 400g red table grapes (muscat or small red seedless grapes); 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil; 170g plain sweet biscuits (we used digestive biscuits); 125g walnut; 90g butter, melted; 570g ricotta (well drained), at room temperature; 150g caster sugar; 2 vanilla beans, split, seeds scraped; 570g mascarpone, at room temperature; 6 large eggs, at room temperature; 40.00 ml plain flour; Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

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by delicious. team

delicious. team

Jan 20, 2025

"This versatile creamy Italian ricotta cheesecake has carried many ripe fruits from garden to table on our farm. We’ve bejewelled the top of this cake with strawberries, figs and apricots, but this time, I roasted sweet merlot grapes from our vineyard, which seemed most fitting for a harvest lunch! This cake can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, and it can be served chilled or at room temperature after refrigeration." - Annie Conley

Recipe note: Begin this recipe at least 6 hours ahead (ideally the day before). You’ll need a 23cm springform pan.

400g red table grapes (muscat or small red seedless grapes)
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Base

170g plain sweet biscuits (we used digestive biscuits)
1 1/4 cups (125g) walnuts, toasted, finely chopped
90g butter, melted

Cake batter

570g ricotta (well drained), at room temperature
2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar
2 vanilla beans, split, seeds scraped
570g mascarpone, at room temperature
6 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tbs plain flour
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Method

1.

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Grease base and sides of a 23cm springform pan and line with baking paper, extending paper 2cm up over edge of pan to make a collar.
2.

To make the base, place biscuits and walnuts in a food processor and whiz until a fine crumb. Add butter and whiz until well combined. Press mixture firmly into the base of the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Set aside.
3.

Increase oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Arrange grapes on prepared tray and drizzle with oil. Roast for 25 minutes, or until grapes ever so slightly start to split. Set aside to cool (see note).
4.

Meanwhile, place the ricotta, sugar, vanilla seeds and a pinch of fine salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute until well combined. Add mascarpone and beat until just combined. Add 1 egg at a time, beating between additions until combined. Sift over flour and stir with a spatula until combined. Stir in zest and juice until combined. Pour into pan and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes, or until golden and set with a slight jiggle in the middle.
5.

Set aside on a wire rack to cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
6.

To serve, transfer cake to a serving plate and arrange roasted grapes on top.

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Recipe Notes

If baking cheesecake the day before, you can also roast the grapes the day before. Cake will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.