Lemon Balm Cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the Pastry:
140g plain flour
pinch of salt
90g butter, diced
cold water, to bind

For the Filling:
60g butter, softened
2 tbsp runny honey
360g cream cheese (or you can use my home-made cream cheese recipe to prepare your own)
2 eggs, beaten
6 tbsp lemon balm leaves, finely chopped

Method:

Begin with the pastry. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, add the butter and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add enough cold water to bring the mixture together as a dough then roll out until large enough to cover the base and sides of an 18cm diameter quiche dish. Line with greaseproof (waxed) paper, pour in baking beans then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 190°C and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and baking beans then bake for 5 minutes more. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool (reduce the oven temperature to 170°C).

Now prepare the filling. Beat together the butter, honey and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs until combined then fold in the lemon balm leaves. Pour the filling into the prepared pastry case then transfer to the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the filling is golden brown and set.

Remove from the oven, allow to cool and serve with yoghurt. If desired, you can decorate the top of the cheesecake with lemon balm leaves before it cools.