To make compote, combine sugar, lemon juice and 250ml water in a saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high, add cherries and bring to the boil. Cook for 10 minutes or until reduced by one-third. Transfer the cherries to a bowl and cook syrup for a further 10 minutes or until reduced by one-third. Pour over cherries. Cool. Makes 1⅔ cups.
To make pastry base, using an electric mixer, beat butter, 75g sugar and ¼ tsp salt until pale and fluffy. Beat 1 egg, add to the butter mixture and beat until combined. Add 300g flour and baking powder, and stir to combine. Press mixture into the base and side of a greased 22cm springform pan. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 190°C. Prick the pastry base, then bake for 12 minutes or until light golden. Cool. Reduce oven to 150°C.
To make filling, soak raisins in 250ml hot water for 5 minutes, then drain. Press cheese through a sieve into a bowl. Stir in lemon zest and juice, vanilla and the remaining 40g flour. Using an electric mixer, whisk remaining 3 eggs for 6 minutes or until pale and thick. Whisk in remaining 200g sugar, then fold into cheese mixture. Stir in butter and raisins.
Spoon into pastry shell. Bake for 1 hour or until firm. Cool. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until chilled. Serve cake with cherry compote drizzled over.
* Farm cheese is a soft cow’s-milk cheese that’s available from selected greengrocers and delis. The Brancourt brand is stocked at most Harris Farm stores.
As seen in Feast magazine, Issue 9, pg148.
Photography by Brett Stevens.