So I guess it is time to share one recipe that I have made that everyone went crazy over; my Lavender and honey cheesecake. I had been on a search for lavender flower for a while and with no result I passed over this recipe a few times. While shopping around Canton I came across food grade lavender. I decided to tackle this recipe. Still nervous about putting an essential oil in a dessert; I wanted to make sure I didn’t end up with a cake tasting like perfume. The recipe called for such a small amount of lavender I wasn’t even sure it would come through. After tasting the batter a few times, I was sure that it was the perfect balance of lavender aroma, sweetness of sugar and bitterness of the cream cheese.

This lavender honey cheesecake is a heavy New York style cheesecake (the only style I make) with a light flavor of lavender and a honey and sour cream topping. I have previously made lavender French macarons (blog post coming soon) and having white chocolate and lavender filling left over, I used that as a decorative drizzle on top. It gave a pretty finishing touch and an added taste of lavender, without being overpowering. Without further ado:

Honey Lavender Cheesecake

Crust

• 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 4 tablespoons melted butter

Filling

• 2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon Lavender extract.
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• Purple food coloring

Topping

• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

For the crust

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare a 9″ springform pan with cooking spray.
3. In a small bowl combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until throughly combined.
4. Press crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan and about 1/2 inch up the side.
5. Bake 12 – 15 minutes until the crumbs are set. (don’t get excited and forget that it is in the oven and burn it the first time like I did)
6. Let cool on a wire rack.

For the filling

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream cream cheese until light and fluffy. (had to soften in the micro 30 seconds at a time and chop and stir)
3. Add sugar and beat on high for an additional 3 minutes.
4. Add vanilla extract, lavender extract, honey and salt and mix until just combined.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the side of the bowl with a spatula after each addition.
6. Add a few drops of violet food coloring and mix until desired color.
7. Add sour cream and mix until combined.
8. Add heavy cream and mix until combined.
9. Wrap the outside of your springform pan in aluminum foil.
10. Pour cream cheese filling into springform pan. Smooth the top with a spatula.
11. Place the pan inside a high-sided roasting pan. (I used a Calphalon baking pan)
12. Create a water bath by filling the roasting pan with hot water until you reach halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan.
13. Bake for 1 1/2 hours.
14. After an hour and a half, turn the oven off and crack the door open 1 inch.
15. Leave the cheesecake like this for 1 hour.
16. After an hour, take the cheesecake out of the oven and place aluminum foil over the top (making sure the foil does not actually touch the cheesecake and be careful when removing it, there will be condensation dripping)
17. Place in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

For the topping

1. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, honey, vanilla and powdered sugar. Mix until combined.
2. Spread mixture over the top of the cooled cheesecake.

Original recipe credit to: https://sprinklesforbreakfast.squarespace.com