Here is a Birthday Cheesecake decorated with in-season strawberries, garden mint leaves, and sage flowers. On the side for the chocolate lovers is Chocolate Mousse.

This recipe uses a water bath and produces a soft creamy cheesecake. It is very hard to overcook this cheesecake so it is a good recipe for beginners. You will need a very large glass baking tray to hold the hot water. The baking pan for the cheesecake needs to be able to fit into the glass baking tray. I like using a stoneware baking pan for water bath cheesecakes. The cheesecake does not have to be removed from the pan and is served in a beautiful stoneware baking pan.

1T organic butter
1 pound homemade yoghurt cheese or organic cream cheese
2/3c local raw honey
1 organic lemon, finely grated peel
1T organic vanilla extract
5 pastured eggs
1/2c raw cream

Preheat the oven to 325F. Butter a 10-12″ baking pan.

In a food processor, combine until smooth the yoghurt cheese, honey, lemon peel and vanilla extract. Add the eggs one at a time and then the cream. Blend until smooth. Pour the batter into the baking pan.

Fill the large glass baking tray with very hot water out of the tap. Do not use boiling water. Place the baking pan into the water bath. The water should be 2/3 the way up the baking pan. Carefully transfer the water bath to the oven. Cook for 55-60 minutes.

The edge of the cheesecake should be firm and the middle should be jiggly. Turn off the oven and leave the door of the oven partly open. Let the cheesecake cool for 30 minutes before removing. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath. Allow the cheesecake to cool another 30 minutes on the counter. The cheesecake can be refrigerated at this point. It will be ready to serve in a few hours.

If you would like a stronger flavor, allow the cheesecake to sit in the fridge for 24-48 hours.