Every year once the tulips start blooming, we sit and watch our rhubarb plants grow. It seems like they grow overnight because before we know it, they are huge. Once the lilacs start blooming, we know it won’t be long until we can harvest the first stalks.
Now that I’ve finally come to enjoy rhubarb (we weren’t really on good terms for a long time), I get excited and think of all the things I want to make with it. My first dish of the season was this cheesecake with rhubarb compote. Both very easy and delicious. Neither recipe is particularly sweet, but you are welcome to add more sugar to the compote.
Cheesecake with Rhubarb Compote
Cheesecake
- 110 g graham cracker (Butterkekse), crushed
- 1 tsp sugar
- 100g butter, melted
- 350 g cream cheese
- 80 g crème fraîche
- 1 Tbs flour
- 100 g sugar
- 1 Tbs orange blossom water (optional)
- 0.5 Tbs vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
Rhubarb compote
- 4 rhubarb stalks, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 Tbs water
- 2 cardamom pods, crushed
- sugar to taste
Heat the oven to 190° C. In a bowl, mix the cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter together until the crumbs are moist and clump together. Press into the bottom of a springform pan and up the sides. I used a rectangular form, but a round one would work as well. Bake until the crust is fragrant and golden, about 9-12. Lower the temperature to 150° C.
In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, crème fraîche and flour until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until blended. Add the vanilla and orange blossom water, if using. Add the eggs one at a time until just blended. Pour into the cooled crust and bake until the center is just set, about 25-30 minutes. Remove and cool completely on a rack and then refrigerate until well chilled, at least 6 hours.
Remove from the springform pan and serve with rhubarb compote.
Make the compote while the cheesecake is baking. Place all the ingredients in a pan and cook until the rhubarb is completely tender and has fallen apart. Remove the cardamom pods serving the compote at room temperature.
