280 gms cream cheese, 100ml double cream or crème fraiche,  25gm icing sugar, 15 gms lavender petals, 1 lemon juiced and zested .

base : 4 digestive biscuits finely crushed , 10 gms unsalted butter.

Garnish: 1 unwaxed lemon , 1tbs of icing sugar

 

Method :

 

Topping ( prepared day before)

In a heavy saucepan place cream, lemon juice& zest, lavender petals, icing sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and leave to cool. When cold place in container and refrigerate for 24 hours to allow flavours to infuse.

Pass the infused cream through a fine sieve. Whisk until the mixture thickens slightly then gently fold in the cream cheese.(taste and add additional sugar if required)

 

Biscuit Base (prepare on day)

Melt the butter and mix with biscuit crumbs. Place in the base of your chosen mould and press down firmly.

Spoon the cream cheese mix and smooth over making sure there are no air pockets left in the mixture.

Place in a refrigerator for minimum of 2 hours before eating.

 

Garnish

Cut the lemon into segments,.

Spread the segments out on a baking sheet.

 Dust with icing sugar.

Place under a hot grill until the sugar caramelises.

 

When cool arrange on top of the cheesecake.

 

Eat and enjoy.

 

Culinary Hints

Lavender belongs to the mint family. The flowers can be candied and used to decorate cakes. Lavender can be used to flavour cakes and desserts , it works well with chocolate and if stored with caster sugar in an air-tight creates a delicious "lavender" sugar.

Chefs in  France, have been using this herb into their cuisine for centuries.Lavender gives a floral, slightly sweet, and unusual flavour to most dishes including those containing sheep or goat's milk cheese. The dried flower buds contain the lavender oil which is used for cooking.At Reeves we also use our abundance of home-grown lavender to smoke fish.

 

Footnote

Essential oil of lavender has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It was used in hospitals during First World War to disinfect floors and walls.

The oil is claimed to soothe and heal insect bites. Bunches of lavender are also said to repel insects.