I never want to relegate honey to the background, simply one of many ways to sweeten. Good, local honey has such depth of flavor and so many nuances that I really want to highlight it and make it the star of a dessert. This creamy cheesecake does just that. I love that the honey shines through, and the little sprinkling of flaky salt just enhances the honeyed sweetness. I realized this genius pairing with my Salted Honey Chess Pie. Honey is the only sweetener in this, so it is most definitely not cloying. And I am telling you, this sauce may become a staple for so much more than just this cheesecake – try it on ice cream or fresh fruit.
Locally gathered honey is a great way to support both local business and the environment. Bees are a vital part of the ecosystem so anything that encourages their important work is a good for all of us. Mass-produced honey, to me, lacks the distinction of the smaller producers. Look for different varieties from bees that flit around different plants. You may decide to make this cheesecake many times to test the varying flavors! Use a simple shortbread cookie for the crust – I know honey graham crackers seem like an obvious choice but the processed “honey” flavor competes with the real thing. I use Lorna Doones or Sandies (pecan Sandies add a nice touch).
Ingredients
- For the Crust
9 ounces shortbread cookies
¼ cup (½ stick) butter, melted
- For the Filling
2 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese, at room temperature
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup honey
1 (8-ounce) tub sour cream
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- For the Sauce
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
Generous pinch of flaky sea salt
Directions
- For the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9-inch spring form pan with cooking spray and wrap the bottom in foil to prevent butter leakage.
- Break the cookies into pieces and pulse to fine crumbs in a food processor. Pour in the melted butter and pulse to combine completely. Dump the crumbs into the prepared pan and pat them out to a thin, even layer on the bottom, with just a smidge creeping up the sides. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
- For the Filling
- Beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer to break it up, then add the eggs, sour cream, honey and flour and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until smooth and well combined. Scrape into the prepared crust and smooth the top. Bang the pan on the counter a couple of times to remove any air bubbles, then bake for 40 minutes until it is just set but a bit wobbly in the center. Turn off the oven, open the door a crack (prop it open with an oven mitt) and leave the cheesecake to cool for an hour, then cool completely and transfer to the fridge for several hours or overnight.
- For the Sauce
- Put the honey, 1 Tablespoon of water and the lemon juice in a small, stainless steel pan (so you can see the color as the honey darkens) and stir well. Heat over medium heat, stirring, until bubbles begin to form on the surface. Keep cooking, gently swirling the pan but not stirring, until the honey darkens to a nutty brown and starts to smell caramelized. Remove from the heat and stir in the heavy cream – it might splutter or spit, so be careful. Stir in the salt and leave to cool.
- Drizzle the honey sauce over the top of the cheesecake, and serve the excess to pour over the slices. A pinch of flaky sea salt on top adds some extra oomph.
Sounds perfect for this time of year. Thank you!