A Herbalife baked recipe made with Formula 1 and Protein Drink Mix

Lavender cheesecake with Formula 1 and Formula 3: an official Herbalife recipe

Ten portions, three Herbalife products, and a lavender syrup that does most of the work. This is an official Herbalife recipe and it is the most ambitious thing in the range — a baked protein base with a set, no-bake filling.

Worth saying up front: this is a project, not a Tuesday. Budget an afternoon, and read the whole thing before you start, because the base needs to be cold before the filling goes on.

For the base

  1. Mix the Formula 1 Cookie Crunch and the Formula 3 together.
  2. Add the oat flakes, egg yolks, butter, cinnamon and water, and work it into a dough.
  3. Press into a tin and bake at 180 °C for 15 to 20 minutes.
  4. Leave the base to cool completely. This matters — a warm base will melt the filling.

For the filling

  • 91 g (7 scoops) Formula 1 Vanilla Cream
  • 10 ml (2 capfuls) AloeMax
  • 200 g low-fat curd cheese
  • 3 gelatine leaves
  • 250 ml skimmed milk
  • 1 tsp lavender flowers

The lavender syrup

  1. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water.
  2. Heat the milk in a small pan, add the lavender and bring to the boil.
  3. Take it off the heat and leave it to cool.
  4. Squeeze the gelatine out, add it to the syrup and stir until dissolved.

Assembling

  1. Blend the curd cheese, Formula 1 Vanilla Cream and AloeMax together, then add the lavender syrup and blend until completely smooth.
  2. Spread over the cold base and refrigerate until set.

Source: Herbalife's official lavender cheesecake recipe card.

Three things that decide whether it works

  • The base must be cold. Not cool. Cold. Bake it early and let it sit.
  • The syrup must be cooled before the gelatine goes in. Gelatine added to boiling liquid loses its setting power.
  • Blend the filling properly. Curd cheese and protein powder go lumpy if you stir them by hand; a blender is not optional here.

Lavender is strong. One teaspoon in 250 ml of milk is what the recipe calls for, and more is not better — past a certain point it tastes of soap.

An occasional treat. Herbalife categorise this recipe themselves as a dessert or occasional snack, not a meal. Their own note on the recipe card is that a product delivers the nutritional benefits described on its label only when prepared as the label instructs, and that in recipes requiring cooking the levels of some vitamins can be lower than the label values. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose of any supplement, and keep them out of reach of children under three.

Allergens

Formula 1 contains soy and oat. Check the Formula 3 label for its own declaration. The recipe adds egg, butter, milk and curd cheese, and standard gelatine is an animal product — so this is not vegetarian or vegan as written.

Frequently asked questions

How many does it serve?

Ten portions.

Can I use a different Formula 1 flavour in the base?

Cookie Crunch is chosen because it tastes like a biscuit base. Smooth Chocolate would work. A fruit flavour would fight the lavender.

What does the AloeMax do?

Two capfuls go into the filling. It is a small amount and it is there in the original recipe; the flavour is mild against the lavender and the vanilla.

Where do I get culinary lavender?

Larger supermarkets and spice shops sell dried culinary lavender. Do not use lavender sold for pot pourri or crafts.

Can I make it a day ahead?

Yes, and it is better for it. It needs time in the fridge to set properly anyway.

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