1 tablespoon sweet butter                                 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

½ Cup graham cracker crumbs             ½ cup sifted all - purpose flour

6 cups Ricotta                                                  2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ cups sugar                                                 ½ cup heavy cream, whipped

6 eggs separated

Preheat the oven to 425⁰ .  Generously butter a 10” spring-form pan and sprinkle bottem and sides with graham cracker crumbs

Gradually add one cup sugar and egg yolks to ricotta, beating after each addition.  Beat in lemon rind, flour and vanilla extract.

Whip eggs whites with remaining sugar until stiff, combine with whipped cream and fold into ricotta mixture

Turn into prepared spring – form pan; smooth top.  Bake in preheated oven for ten minutes.  Lower oven temperature to 350 and bake for one hour.  Turn off the heat and allow cake to cool in oven with door closed.

Serves 12

I whisk the eggs first, put them in a mixing bowl in the refrigerator

I whisk the heavy cream and place that in the refrigerator.

Then I do step #2, #3.

I have a Kitchen Aid mixer with only one mixing bowl.

In order to use with a 12” spring-form pan.

Use 8 eggs

3 lb container of ricotta

    This has been frozen. I think it is a fair way to deal with left overs. I would not prepare it ahead of time and freeze it.

    It is a very special dessert.