Strawberry, Ricotta & Lemon Thyme Cheesecake

This recipe is much easier than a traditional cheesecake with biscuit crumbs at the bottom. Ricotta is a simple whey cheese and mascarpone is a cream cheese, both can be found in tubs in the cheese counter of most supermarkets, and the combination of the two makes this cheesecake creamy and rich. If you cannot find thyme flowers then just add the leaves.

• Pre-heat the oven to 170°C. Butter and line a 23cm cake tin with baking parchment.
• Place the ricotta and mascarpone in a large bowl, sift in the icing sugar and beat well. Add the eggs, one by one, and beat well.
• Add the lemon zest, the candied peel and the chopped thyme flowers and leaves and mix well. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 1 hour. The cheesecake should be firm when ready. Cool on a wire rack.
• Hull and slice the strawberries, and when the cheesecake is ready arrange them in a spiral on the top. Sift icing sugar on top and serve.