Corsican Ricotta Cheesecake (Fiadone)

Quick and easy Fiadone Cheesecake – one of the most popular Corsican desserts using Brocciu (goat’s or ricotta) cheese, eggs, sugar and lemon.  Recipe continuously tested and approved by my Corsican husband!

Fiadone: Most Popular of Corsican Desserts

As soon as the temperature drops in Autumn, fresh Brocciu cheese appears at our local market. So I love to celebrate its arrival by making a Fiadone Corsican Cheesecake.

Fiadone is found on just about every Corsican dessert menu and every family has their recipe. It’s also popular in all Corsican bakeries – even more so in the central town of Corte, where it’s said to originate. (Not far from Antoine’s family’s home up in the hills, hidden from Corte’s Citadel.)

What is Fiadone? Although we call this a Corsican cheesecake, the Fiadone doesn’t have a biscuit base. Some patisseries serve it in individual pastry cases, called Imbrucciate. Like its name suggests, the Fiadone resembles a flan with 5 simple ingredients: brocciu cheese, eggs, sugar, lemon zest and a touch of Eau de Vie liqueur.

What is Brocciu Corsican Cheese?

Antoine’s Corsican family, like many on the Île de Beauté, serves this typical family dessert in the winter and spring months. Why? It’s due to the main ingredient, Brocciu.

Brocciu (pronounced Brotchiou, more often Brooch) is the only Corsican cheese that is certified with AOC (controlled designation of origin) and AOP (protected designation of origin, the European equivalent) labels. It’s also the only French AOC cheese made from whey.

According to the Corsican Agricultural and Rural Development agency, Brocciu is not to be confused with Brousse, since its AOC status has to contain at least 40% fat; if it has any less, it’s called Brousse.

If Brocciu is left to age slightly and has added salt, this is used for savoury dishes, such as in this Corsican Mint Omelette.

Brocciu Cheese Recipes

As with all Corsican cheeses, Brocciu is made from goat or sheep’s milk – or both – but it’s a unique delicately fragranced curd cheese.

Produced only between November and May/June when milk is at its richest, it’s usually served very fresh on its own for dessert.

As a result, Brocciu is served fresh in the following ways as a typical family dessert:

• a sprinkling of sugar and a splash of Corsican myrtle Eau de Vie liqueur;
• With mountain honey (Corsican honey is strong, coming mainly from the Châtaigniers – see page on chestnuts);
• A spoonful of chestnut purée;
• Serve it with a spoonful of Corsican fig jam, just like my mother-in-law does.

Corsican Brocciu Substitutes?

As it’s difficult to find fresh Brocciu cheese, here are some substitutes.

• As brocciu resembles an Italian Ricotta, use Ricotta instead. (Don’t use cottage cheese as this is too lumpy).
• One Corsican chef in Calvi (who was kind enough to let me in to his kitchen and chat about the recipes) even suggested Faisselle for Fiadone, a soft cheese easily available in French supermarkets. Although it’s good, it’s made with cow’s milk, so the taste isn’t quite the same. However, it’s not far off and still tastes delicious.
• The best substitute for Brocciu is a really good quality goat’s cheese – plus the freshest you can find.  There’s nothing to beat Brocciu but we have to do the best we can, right?

This has to be the most LAZIEST CHEESECAKE on the planet, it’s so easy.

Authentic Corsican Fiadone Recipe

This recipe is such a classic that I certainly can’t claim to owning a typical recipe. So, my own twist is a reduction in sugar (as much as I dare without affecting the taste) and replacing the lemon with lime. It may sound like no big deal, but serve this using lime to my Corsican family and it’s like I’ve completely derailed. However, Antoine prefers it this way and so I’m sticking with it!

However, don’t even think of adding anything else but citrus to this, otherwise it won’t be a Fiadone.

Cooking tip: don’t beat the mixture too much, otherwise it will rise more like a soufflé and break, which is less visually appealing.