Pomegranate Ricotta Cheesecake Tart

A baked cheesecake tart with a shortcrust base and a ricotta-cream cheese filling, topped with a pomegranate gelée and fresh arils.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups	360 ml	Bob's Red Mill Unbleached White Organic all-purpose flour (for the crust)
1/3 cup	80 ml	powdered sugar (for the crust)
1/4 teaspoon	1.3 ml	salt (for the crust)
1/2 cup	120 ml	unsalted butter (cold, for the crust)
1		large egg yolk (for the crust)
2 teaspoons	10 ml	heavy cream (for the crust)
1/2 teaspoon	2.5 ml	vanilla extract (for the crust)
225 g		cream cheese, room temperature (for the filling)
1/2 cup (125 g)		ricotta (for the filling)
3/4 teaspoon	3.8 ml	finely grated orange zest (for the filling)
1/4 cup	60 ml	sugar (for the filling)
1/2 tsp	2.5 ml	vanilla extract (for the filling)
2 tbsp	30 ml	Bob's Red Mill Unbleached White Organic all-purpose flour (for the filling)
1		egg (for the filling)
1 1/4 cups	300 ml	fresh pomegranate juice (for the gelée)
2 tablespoons	30 ml	granulated sugar (for the gelée)
2 1/2 teaspoons	13 ml	unflavored gelatin (from 2 [1/4-oz.] envelopes) (for the gelée)
3 tablespoons	45 ml	orange liqueur (such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier) – optional (for the gelée)
2/3 cup	160 ml	pomegranate arils (seeds) (for the gelée)

For the crust

Place the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine.
Add the cold butter, and continue pulsing until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Whisk the egg yolk, cream, and vanilla together in a small bowl, then pour it through the feed tube in a slow stream with the processor running on low speed.
Process until the mixture gathers itself into a ball, then wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
Roll out pie crust to fit pan. Press into 9 inch tart pan, use the rolling pin to roll over and trim the edges, use a fork to prick entire surface of dough. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F and then bake for 20 minutes. Once done remove from oven and allow it to cool on a rack while you make the filling.

For the filling

In a food processor, pulse cream cheese, ricotta with 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons flour, and orange zest, and vanilla until smooth. Add the egg and pulse to combine.
Spread cream cheese mixture into crust. Bake until filling is set in center, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate approximately 1 hour before making the gelée.

For the gelée

Combine pomegranate juice and sugar in a saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over mixture, and let stand 5 minutes. Cook over medium heat just until mixture is steaming and dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; cool 20 minutes. Skim off foam, if needed. Stir in liqueur.
Gently and slowly pour pomegranate mixture over top of chilled tart until just below edge of crust, being careful not to overfill (you may have extra pomegranate mixture). Continue to chill tart until gelée sets, about another 1 hour. Sprinkle with pomegranate arils just before serving, slice and enjoy.