Cannoli Custard Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 eggs, separated (room temperature)
1 pinch salt
1/3 cup sour cream
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
4 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup half-and-half (though milk works too if your out of 1/2 & 1/2)
1 cup mini chocolate chip (I used a combo of dark and milk)
zest of one medium-sized orange
1/2 teaspoon almond extract and vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 and place a rack in the middle of the oven. Generously butter a springform pan, approximately 9 inches or so, and wrap the bottom well with aluminum to prevent any leaking. Fill a shallow pan with hot water for a water bath.
Stir together ricotta cheese, half 'n' half, sour cream and egg yolks until well blended. Fold in flour until incorporated. Pour in the melted butter, sugar, orange zest, juice and extracts and stir till blended. Fold in the chocolate chips. Set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff . Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the mixture until well incorporated and there are little or no streaks of egg white visible.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan with the waterbath. Bake for approximately 30 min to an hour or just until the top is brown and the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes (run a knife around the edge and release the springform) and let chill for around 6-8 hours or overnight and serve with either whipped cream or chocolate shavings (optional).