Lavender Blueberry White Chocolate Cheesecake

CRUST

• 1 ½ cups Graham Cracker Crumbs or approx.. 40 vanilla wafers
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) dried culinary lavender ground  (see note on how to make ground lavender)
• ¼ cup (60 mL) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated Purple Haven  lavender vanilla sugar (see recipe page to make your own lavender sugar)

 

FILLING

• 2 bars (each 100 g) good-quality white chocolate, chopped
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) dried culinary lavender ground
• 3 pkgs (each 250 g) brick-style cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup (125 mL) granulated lavender vanilla sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 tbsp (45 mL)  Purple Haven Lavender blueberry jam

 

Fresh blueberries and fresh, organic lavender sprigs for garnish

 

For crust, preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

In a food processor, process vanilla wafers and lavender until fine crumbs form. Add butter and sugar and pulse briefly until mixture is combined and crumbly.

Tip crumb mixture into a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan and press evenly over base. Bake until firm and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Set crust aside to cool.

Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).

 

For filling, put chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of hot, not boiling, water. Stir occasionally until chocolate is almost completely melted. Remove bowl from heat and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl once or twice.

Add melted chocolate and ground lavender. Beat on low speed until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl.

Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, on medium speed, scraping down sides of bowl once or twice.

Pour filling over crust. Drop small spoonfuls of blueberry jam evenly over filling. Swirl decoratively with the blade of a slim knife.

 Bake cheesecake until centre is almost set, 50 to 55 minutes. Do not overbake.

Remove cheesecake from oven and place pan on a wire rack. Run a thin spatula around edge of cheesecake to loosen it from sides of pan. Let cool for 1 hour, then refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours. Cover pan tightly and refrigerate overnight.

Release sides of pan and slide cheesecake onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and garnish with lavender blueberry jam, fresh blueberries and lavender sprigs. 

Try dropping some of the lavender whipped cream topping. 

 

NOTE:

How to grind lavender buds into powder form.

In a clean spice or coffee grinder, grind lavender until a fine powder forms.