Lemon cheesecake with roasted rhubarb

An incredibly delicious, refreshing no-bake lemon cheesecake with a biscuit base, topped with rhubarb roasted in honey and vanilla. Truly a showstopper. Its light, delicate texture and gentle citrus flavour remind me of the classic British dessert lemon fool, which I’m particularly fond of. The finishing touch is soft, tender rhubarb baked in a sweet honey syrup. Lemon cheesecake with roasted rhubarb – highly recommended.

Ingredients for the base:

• 200 g digestive biscuits
• 50 g butter, melted

Place the biscuits and melted butter in a food processor and blend until the mixture resembles wet sand. Alternatively, crush the biscuits in a sealed bag using a rolling pin, then mix with the melted butter.

Line the base of a 23 cm springform tin with baking parchment. Press the biscuit mixture firmly into the base and about halfway up the sides, smoothing with the back of a spoon.

Ingredients for the cheesecake filling:

• 1 cup Greek yoghurt, at room temperature
• 250 g mascarpone, at room temperature
• ½ cup icing sugar
• juice and zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
• 1 cup double cream, chilled
• 10 g powdered gelatine + 45 ml cold water

Wash and zest the lemon, then squeeze out the juice and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine the Greek yoghurt, mascarpone, icing sugar, lemon zest and juice. Whisk until smooth and lump-free.

Sprinkle the gelatine over the cold water and leave for 10 minutes to bloom. Gently heat (on the hob or in the microwave), stirring until fully dissolved – do not boil. Leave to cool slightly. Stir a spoonful of the cheesecake mixture into the warm gelatine, mix well, then repeat with a couple more spoonfuls to temper it. Add the gelatine mixture back into the cheesecake mixture and mix immediately until combined.

In a separate bowl, whip the chilled double cream until stiff peaks form. Fold it gently into the cheesecake mixture in two additions. Spoon the filling onto the prepared base and smooth the top. Chill in the fridge for several hours, ideally overnight, until set.

Ingredients for the roasted rhubarb:

• 200 g rhubarb, cut into 10 cm lengths
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste

Place the rhubarb on a small baking tray, drizzle with honey, lemon juice and vanilla. Roast at 200°C for 12–15 minutes, turning once halfway through, until tender but still holding its shape. Remove and leave to cool.

Transfer the chilled cheesecake to a serving plate. Top with the cooled rhubarb and spoon over the rhubarb-honey syrup. Store the cheesecake in the fridge.

Enjoy!