Lavender and Lemon Cheesecake

Lavender and Lemon Cheesecake

Lavender and Lemon Cheesecake

Lavender is not only delightful in the garden, it is versatile in the kitchen with it’s ability to be used in sweet and savoury dishes such as roast poultry and even fish!

Not all varieties of lavender are suitable for culinary use because of their high camphor levels. English lavender (L. angustifolia) is the best variety to use in cooking, look for Hidcote, Munstead or Lady.
This recipe is the perfect warm weather dessert; light, airy decadent with a lemon flavour that packs a punch, deliciously complemented with a hint of lavender!

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 1/2 cups finely crushed round wine biscuits
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling

  • 450g cream cheese
  • 450 mascarpone cheese
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon dried lavender
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs
  • Lemon slices, lavender buds for garnish

Lavender Cream

  • 250ml cream, whipped
  • 2 tablespoons icing sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dried lavender

Method

Crust

    1. Preheat oven to 180˚C. Grease a 9-inch springform pan
    2. In a medium bowl, combine crushed biscuits and butter and cinnamon together until thoroughly mixed
    3. Using a spoon, press the biscuit mixture onto the bottom of the pan
    4. Place the pan on a middle rack in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool. Lower the heat to 160˚C

Filling

  1. Mix the cream cheese and mascarpone on a medium speed until smooth
  2. Add the sugar slowly and mix until smooth
  3. Add the vanilla extract, lavender, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt and mix until smooth
  4. On a slow speed, add the eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined
  5. Slowly pour the filling mixture on top of the cooled crust
  6. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, until edges are set and the center of the cheesecake is still slightly jiggly
  7. Leaving the cheesecake in the oven, turn off the heat and pop the oven door open an inch for another 60 minutes, to let the cheesecake cool down slowly and reduce the chance of cracking
  8. Chill in the fridge overnight.
  9. To remove the cheesecake from the pan, run a paring knife around the sides. Open the pan and remove the ring

Cream

  1. Make the lavender whipped cream: In a large mixing bowl, whisk heavy whipping cream, icing sugar, and lavender.
  2. Top with lavender whipped cream, lemon slices, and lavender buds. Chill until ready to serve.

*To prepare your own dried lavender in summer, pick stems when about a third of the flower spike is blooming. Choose a dry, sunny day; mid-morning is best, after any dew has evaporated. Ensure the plants are pesticide-free, as the petals are too delicate to wash well. Strip off the foliage, tie the stems in bunches and hang them upside down in a dark, dry place with good air circulation. Lavender is dry when the stems break cleanly; check after a week to 10 days.

To remove dried buds from the stems, rub them gently between your hands over a plate then sift to remove the bracts (tiny leaves at the base of the florets) if necessary. Store in an airtight container away from the light; they should keep their flavour for at least a year.

Don’t be heavy-handed with lavender; a little provides a unique and delicious flavour but too much can be overpowering and bitter.