Italian Cassata Easter Cheesecake

Italian Cassata Easter Cheesecake

From Claudia's kitchen at What's Cookin Italian Cuisine
http://pegasuslegend-whatscookin.blogspot.com/2010/04/cassata-easter-cheesecake-recipe-moms.html
Italian Cassata (cheesecake)Recipe
24 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar
3 lbs of whole milk Ricotta
1 80z chocolate bar grated( she always used milk chocolate Hershey's)
8 0z citron (mom always used this it's optional) I prefer this without it
1 small bottle of maraschino cherries chopped in chunky pieces
2 tablespoon pure vanilla

Mix eggs for five minutes, add sugar and vanilla, mix well. In a separate bowl beat ricotta for a few minutes, then add chocolate mixing well. Add this mixture to the eggs mixture and fold in chopped cherries and citron. Pour into the lined crusted pans. Bake at 325 for 2 1/2 hours. If tops begin to brown too quickly drop oven temperature to 300.

Crust:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup milk
1 stick of butter
3/4 cups of sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder

Mix everything together, dough will be very soft, you will need to keep adding additional flour so it doesn't stick while rolling. Roll out to fit tins to fit for the bottom. Use remaining dough to make strips like tic tac toe effect on top. Brush with beaten egg wash for shiny top.

Proceed with above directions for baking time. Happy Easter from our house to your from What's Cookin' Italian Cuisine!