Lavender and Lemongrass Cheesecake

Infuse your food with flavour! The seeds you sowed and the seedlings you planted have grown beautifully and you now have a gorgeous range of herbs and flowers at your disposal.

Now it’s time to use them! How about making this decadent no-bake cheesecake, which is simple to make and will still induce the oohs and aahs when you bring it to the table to finish off your next braai or patio picnic. This cheesecake is sweet and lemony with a hint of floral notes from the lavender, and with a fabulous colour.

Ingredients:

300g shortbread biscuits
120g butter, melted
750g cream cheese
1 can (385g) sweetened condensed milk
Juice of 1 lemon
Purple and blue food colouring
2 tablespoons lavender flowers
2 stalks lemongrass, very finely chopped
Pinch salt

Method:

Crush the shortbread biscuits into small crumbs, but not powder. Add the melted butter and stir until well combined. Line a springform cake tin with baking paper and spread the biscuits on the bottom. Press them down with the back of a spoon to get a smooth, even base. Refrigerate until the filling is ready. .

For the filling, add the cream cheese to a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add the condensed milk and slowly incorporate it, then add the lemon juice and salt. Add the food colouring a little at a time until you achieve a soft purple. Stir in the lavender flowers and lemongrass for pops of flavour as the cheese cake is eaten. Pour over the base, cover and refrigerate until set. Remove from the springform tin and serve.