Lavender Cheesecake

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• 1 (3 5/8 ounce) package graham crackers
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 (1/4 ounce) package lavender (whole buds, not crushed or ground)
• 5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup lavender syrup
• 5 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar (to taste)
• 1/3 cup lavender syrup
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/8 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup water
• food coloring

Recipe

• 1 to make crust, crumb the graham crackers.
• 2 stir in the powdered sugar and butter until well blended.
• 3 press mixture into 9" springform pan, going halfway up the sides.
• 4 bake crust at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, let cool before filling.
• 5 to make lavender syrup, mix sugar and water in a saucepan.
• 6 add lavender to water (you don't need to use the whole package, i used about 3/4 pkg).
• 7 simmer until you have a heavy syrup (approx reduced by half).
• 8 remove lavender buds (place buds on a plate to cool and crystallize for use as decoration if desired). you now have the lavender syrup used in later steps.
• 9 to make filling, soften the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl (it helps to remove from refrigerator a little beforehand).
• 10 add sugar 1/2 cup at a time, mixing in well after each addition.
• 11 mix in sour cream.
• 12 mix in vanilla and lavender syrup.
• 13 whisk eggs and yolks in a small bowl.
• 14 add egg mixture to batter and mix in until just mixed.
• 15 fold in whipped cream taking care not to over mix.
• 16 pour into cooled crust.
• 17 bake at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
• 18 reduce heat to 225 degrees and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.
• 19 turn off heat and open oven door slightly, let cool in oven 30 minutes.
• 20 remove from oven and let cool on the counter 30 minutes.
• 21 at this point it should be cool enough to run a knife around the outside to make sure it has separated from the pan and remove the springform side.
• 22 leave on pan bottom and refrigerate for 3 hours.
• 23 to make frosting, mix sour cream and sugar, sweetening to taste.
• 24 spread on top of chilled cheesecake to make a smooth flat surface, quantity of sweetened sour cream may need to be adjusted depending on amount of shrinkage in the middle.
• 25 to make piping, whisk together lavender syrup and cornstarch in a saucepan.
• 26 add lemon juice and water.
• 27 stir over medium heat until mixture thickens.
• 28 color with food dye to desired shade of purple (or whatever you prefer).
• 29 let cool before decorating.