reading time: 3 min
If you're looking for a dessert for the upcoming summer solstice, I have the perfect recipe for you. This dreamy floral cheesecake is infused with the sweet fragrance of elderflowers and topped with a pink glaze made of fresh strawberries and rose petals. Where I live, that's the essence of June.
If you didn't know, the month of June was named after Juno, the queen of the gods in Roman Mythology, goddess of marriage, childbirth and the protection of women. The strawberry, rose and elderflower present in this cake are traditionally associated with the Goddess Venus, or her Greek equivalent Aphrodite, as all of them are symbols of fertility, beauty, love, and passion. However, I also see a beautiful connection of these Venusian themes to the fierce and sovereign Juno. After all, the elder plant is mythologically associated with protection, life and death, as well as being a portal between the realms. If that's not a metaphor for womanhood, then I don't know what is!
Anyway, that's enough for now about these Ancient goddesses. Let's move on to a different kind of divinity - let's talk cake!
Preparation time: 1 1/2 hours (+ 12 hours infusing time)
Main ingredients: flour, soy yoghurt, elderflower cordial
difficulty level: easy-moderate
makes: a 26 cm- or 10-inch springform pan
suitable for: vegan, lactose-free, wheat-free, egg-free, yeast-free
Ingredients
Elderflower-infused Whipping Cream (prepare the night before!):
100 g vegan whipping cream (I use the unsweetened version of the German brand Schlagfix for this)
2 handfuls of freshly picked elderflowers
Crust:
250 g spelt flour (I use type 1050 which is the German equivalent to bread flour)
50 g raw cane sugar
1 package (8g) vanilla sugar
150 g vegan margarine
50 g dry sourdough starter (see notes for alternative!)
Filling:
400 g vegan vanilla Greek yoghurt (I use the Vanilla Skyr by Alpro)
150 g plain vegan cream cheese
150 ml elderflower cordial
100 g elderflower-infused vegan whipping cream (see above)
1 package (35 g) vegan vanilla or cream pudding powder (I use the vegan cream pudding powder by Dr. Oetker)
1 tbsp cornstarch
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
Glaze:
300 g fresh organic strawberries
2 handfuls of organic rose petals (I use our homegrown)
3 tbsp elderflower cordial
3 g guar gum or carob gum (or swap for 1 tbsp cornstarch)
Instructions
To make the elderflower-infused whipping cream:
Pluck the flowers from the freshly picked elderflowers and compost the stems. Add the flowers to a medium-sized bowl, along with the (not whipped) whipping cream. Stir well and place in the refrigerator to infuse overnight, or for about 12 hours.
To make the crust:
The following day, prepare the crust. In a large mixing bowl, combine margarine, sugars and sourdough starter. Mix until fluffy, using an electric mixer. Add the flour and mix, using a dough hook, until it all sticks together. Cover and set aside for about 30 minutes at room temperature.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 F / 180 C.
After 30 minutes, press the crust into the greased springform pan, spreading it out evenly. Make sure that the edges are raised to form a rim that will be able to hold the filling (about 5 cm / 2 inches high). Using a fork, prick the bottom a few times to avoid rising during baking.
To make the filling:
Remove the Elderflower-infused whipping cream from the fridge, and strain out the flowers. Compost, or add to a smoothie.
Combine all ingredients for the filling in a large mixing bowl (I use the same bowl that I used for mixing the dough). Using an electric whisk, mix until creamy.
Pour the filling over the crust and spread it out, using a spatula. Lightly “drop” the pan on the counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles that might cause cracks in the cheesecake.
Bake for about 60 minutes in the preheated oven at 350 F / 180 C.
Once the time is up, crack open the oven door, and allow the cake to gently cool down in there for about 15 minutes. Then remove from oven, and allow to cool completely.
To make the glaze:
Once the cake has cooled completely, you can glaze it. Add all ingredients for the glaze to a blender (or use an immersion blender and a bowl for this). Blend until silky smooth.
Add the mixture to a small saucepan, and gently bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for about 3 minutes until thick. Then remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Allow the glaze to cool for 10-15 minutes before spreading it over the cake. Top off with fresh elderflowers.
Yes, this cake is a labour of love. It's worth it!
It tastes best when refrigerated before serving for at least 1 hour.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- If you don't have any sourdough at hand, replace it with 25g flour and 25g cold water.
- Instead of using fresh strawberries, you could use frozen ones. Make sure to let them thaw fully before preparing the glaze.
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| Vegan Blueberry Cheesecake Crumb Cake |
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| Vegan Strawberry Sourdough Cobbler (with elderflower) |
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| Vegan Lemon and Elderflower Buttercream Layer Cake |
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