Dessert ends the soirée on a sweet note. The lighthearted Rosen aus dem Süden (Roses from the South), a waltz by Austrian virtuoso Johann Strauss II, inspires Rose Petal cheesecake, a creamy delight with tantalizing hints of lemon.
Rose Petal Cheesecake
Makes 1 (9-inch) cheesecake
Ingredients
- Crust:
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup rose petals
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- Filling:
- 4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- 7 large eggs
- 3 (8-ounce) cartons sour cream
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- Garnish: edible roses, rose petals
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray with flour.
- For crust: In the work bowl of a food processor, combine cracker crumbs, rose petals, and sugar. Process until rose petals are finely ground. Add melted butter, and process until combined. Press mixture into bottom of prepared pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
- For filling: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Stir in sour cream and lemon zest. Pour filling over prepared crust.
- Bake for 1 hour and 25 minutes. Turn off oven, and leave cheesecake in oven, with door closed, for 4 hours. Remove from oven, and let cool completely on a wire rack. Run a knife around edges of cheesecake to release sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving. Garnish with edible roses and rose petals, if desired.
To find more botanical and musically inspired recipes, see “A Note of Floral Beauty” in the March/April 2019 issue, available at Victoriamag.com.
