Nothing says warm weather quite like the levity of white chocolate, the floral fragrance of coconut, and the bright, awakening flavors of lemon. These Lemon and White Chocolate Slices wake your taste buds up, defrosting you from the chilly depths of winter or complimenting your long summertime evenings.

These slices are a great textural delight. A cookie and coconut crust is the foundation for a creamy and lemon-scented cream cheese base. An extra marbling of lemon curd on top gives this dessert a cheerful pop of color that tastes as pretty as it looks.

Start by prepping the crust. I broke up simple vanilla shortbread cookies, but you can use any vanilla cookie you happen to come across. Even graham cracker crumbs would work. Mix the crumbs with desiccated coconut (or traditional coconut, whichever you can find in your store) and salt. Pour in the melted butter, mixing until the crumbs begin to clump together.

Press the cookie crumb-coconut mixture into a parchment-lined pan and bake for a few minutes to firm up the crust.

While the crust is cooling, prepare your cream cheese filling. Blend the cream cheese with the lemon curd and melted white chocolate until you get a uniform mixture.

Pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the crust, spreading evenly.

You’ll then take some of the reserved lemon curd, dollop it on top of the cream cheese mixture, and swirl it around with a knife, creating a marbling effect.

As delicious as this recipe is and eating it as soon as humanly possible will be tempting, give the recipe a rest in the refrigerator. Letting the recipe chill in the refrigerator will firm up the texture and make it easier to slice.

Once firm and sliced, these Lemon and White Chocolate Slices are amazing bursts of flavor.

The lemon curd mixed with the cream cheese and white chocolate creates a sense of levity, and the coconut-infused crust delivers both a complex flavor and texture.

This dessert is an indulgent pause in the day, as the cookie crust melts away with a buttery bliss while the cream cheese layer is an additive and smooth delight to encounter.