We’ve just settled back in Amsterdam. It’s been a week since we (re)unpacked our suitcases, furniture, and boxes (and if you missed this chapter of our journey, I invite you to read my Letter from the Eurostar right here). I’m so happy to be living again in this city I love deeply—a place I’ll be sharing more about in the months to come, as I truly believe Amsterdam remains surprisingly little-known, especially in comparison to Paris :).
We’ve fallen in love with our new apartment, which is beautifully light-filled. From my kitchen, I now have a view over the Amstel canal—and I like to say that I cook (and bake!) with a view now… an everyday luxury I don’t take for granted. Though my kitchen boxes are still only half-unpacked, I couldn’t resist preparing a first meal: a ratatouille, followed by a lemon tart. I was eager to test my new oven—a convection oven, which works quite differently from the fan-assisted ovens I was used to. To my delight, the tart crust baked to perfection, and I was thrilled with the result. As someone who truly loves to cook, it was a relief to know I could work with this oven—which means I’ll be able to keep sharing recipes and culinary adventures with you… I hope to your delight as well ;)!
Today, I’d love to share one of my favorite recipes: my lime and speculoos cheesecake. I know—it’s not exactly a French classic—but it’s one of those easy, incredibly flavorful desserts that’s far too good not to share. In my opinion, the very best cheesecakes are citrus-based. The bright acidity of lime—or even lemon—brings just the right balance to the creamy richness of the filling. When it comes to citrus, I personally love when the flavor really shines, so I tend to be generous with both the zest and the juice. Feel free to adjust the quantities to your own taste. I truly hope you’ll enjoy it!
Speculoos Crumbs, Lime Zest, and a Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups (150g) speculoos cookies, crushed
- 5 tbsp + 1 tsp (75g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp (60g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (20 cl) heavy whipping cream (full-fat)
- 10.5 oz (1⅓ cups or 300g) Philadelphia cream cheese (original, full-fat)
- Juice of 2 organic limes
- Zest of 2 organic limes
Instructions
Prepare the Speculoos Base:
- Crush the speculoos cookies into fine crumbs, then mix them with the melted butter. Spread the mixture evenly into a round, oval or rectangular mold, pressing it down firmly to form the base.
Make the Cream Cheese Filling:
- In a large bowl, beat the Philadelphia cream cheese until smooth. Add the lime juice, lime zest, and granulated sugar, and mix well until fully combined. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until it forms soft peaks, then gently fold it into the cream cheese mixture.
Assemble and Chill:
- Pour the filling over the speculoos bases in the molds. Smooth the tops, then refrigerate the cheesecakes for at least 4 hours, until set. Serve chilled. Bon appétit!
Notes
Could you share the diameter of the round mold that works best?
Yes, of course! So sorry for leaving out that detail. For this recipe, I used a rectangular gratin dish measuring 27cm by 17cm (that’s about 10.5 x 6.5 inches), but you can absolutely use small round molds or pastry rings for a more refined presentation :).
I’m so excited to try this recipe. Speculoos style cookies are one of my favourites, and I simply adore all citrus. Being in California, I’m lucky to have citrus growing in my garden: Meyer and Eureka lemons, Australian finger lime, Mexican key lime, and my neighbour has a wonderful mandarin tree.
(Fellow US dwellers – if you can’t find Speculoos, look for Biscoff, or even the Trader Joes cookie butter should work, it’s great too, but obvs an adjustment in the base, as it’s a butter not actual biscuits).
Wishing you all the best as you settle into Amsterdam. I read the letter over the weekend and just absolutely loved it. So evocative, the way you described the light and location. I felt like I was looking into a painting by a classical artist like Reubens. It was incredibly relaxing to read too, like the journey was the calm before the excitement to come, and that was conveyed completely.
Thank you so much, Lindsey, for your kind comment and for taking the time to write! What a dream to have citrus growing in your garden—Meyer lemons, key limes… that’s honestly my idea of paradise. I have a little Tahitian lime tree on the back balcony of my apartment here in Amsterdam; we’ll see if it bears fruit this year!
Yes, we have Biscoff here too in the Netherlands—just like in France :)!
Thank you as well for your lovely words about my letter. We’re slowly settling in now, the boxes are nearly gone, and I’ve already found my way back to some of my favorite places. I can’t wait to share more in an upcoming letter. Writing them is such a joy for me—and knowing that you enjoy reading them makes it all the more meaningful. Merci encore pour tout, xo.