MEYER LEMON CHEESECAKE with GRILLED PEACHES and LAVENDER SYRUP

SERVES 6 TO 8

Cashew cream and coconut butter create a rich and smooth texture for this raw cheesecake. The raw crust is unique: It’s made with dried and powdered lucuma, a Peruvian fruit that tastes sort of like graham crackers when ground. Look for lucuma powder in health food stores and online—it’s worth seeking out. The crust is from our staple cheesecake at SAF, my London restaurant, and I adapted the recipe from my kick-ass pastry chef, Amy Levin. A few grilled peaches and some lavender syrup complement the sweet acidity of the Meyer lemon. Garnished with small-diced peaches and fresh lavender flowers, it makes a fantastic summer dessert. —CHAD

LUCUMA CRUST

1 cup lucuma powder

1½ cups almond flour or ground toasted almonds

Pinch of sea salt

1/3 cup agave or maple syrup

Seeds scraped from 1 split vanilla bean, or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

About 3 tablespoons water, as needed

FILLING AND PEACHES

3 cups raw cashews

½ cup agave syrup

¼ cup finely ground raw cane sugar

¼ cup coconut butter or oil

3 tablespoons finely grated Meyer lemon zest

3 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice

Seeds scraped from 1 split vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg

Sea salt to taste

2 ripe yet firm peaches

Coconut spray oil or other spray oil

Lavender Syrup (here)

FOR THE CRUST: Put the lucuma powder, almond flour, salt, agave, and vanilla in a food processor. Pulse to combine, then pulse in just enough water to give the ingredients the appearance of a moist, fine crumble. Pinch a piece in your hand and it should hold together for a second or two, then crumble apart. Adjust the water to achieve that consistency.

Spread the mixture in a 10-inch springform pan or 13- x 9-inch pan. Press it firmly to create an even layer of crust across the bottom of the pan.

FOR THE FILLING: Soak the cashews in water to cover for a few hours or overnight.

Drain the cashews and place in a blender (preferably high-speed). Add the agave, sugar, coconut butter, lemon zest and juice, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt. Blend until smooth. The filling will be thick! Taste and adjust the sweetness (agave or sugar) and acid (lemon juice) until it tastes balanced to you.

Spoon the filling over the crust and freeze until set, at least 1 hour. You can also cover and keep the cheesecake frozen for up to a month.

FOR THE PEACHES: Pit the peaches by cutting lengthwise around and down to the pits. Twist apart the halves and discard the pits. Slice the peaches into ¼-inch-thick rounds. Spray the slices on both sides with spray oil to help prevent sticking.

Heat a grill pan over high heat (or light an outdoor grill). When hot, grill each slice until marked with deep brown stripes, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove to a cutting board and cool slightly. Use a ring mold or round cookie cutter that is slightly smaller than the peach slices (2- to 3-inch diameter) to cut the peaches into perfect rounds.

If frozen solid, thaw the cheesecake until it’s just cold. Cut the whole cake into slices or punch out rounds as shown in the photo. (See Pro Tips for ways to use the scraps of cheesecake.)

TO ASSEMBLE: Place a round of cheesecake on each plate and top with a grilled peach round. Drizzle the lavender syrup on the plate around the cheesecake just before serving.