March 8, 2009

 

Gluten-Free Cheesecake

cheesecake
Saturday was my husband’s birthday, and instead of a birthday cake, he asked for a cheesecake. I thought it was a great idea, especially since I had some huckleberries in the freezer. My husband grew up in an area where huckleberries grow, so that’s a special treat for him.

There are three parts to making this scrumptious gluten-free dessert: the crust, the cheesecake, and the topping. However, it’s not difficult to make.

The Gluten-Free Crust

I love using a nut crust with this recipe. I used pecans this time and have also used walnuts.
Combine the flour, xanthan gum and brown sugar. Using a fork or pastry blender, cut in the butter until you have small crumbs. Stir in the nuts. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 10 inch springform pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. The crust does not need to be precooked. It will cook along with the cheesecake.

The Cheesecake

I used Amber Lee's cheesecake recipe (also found here). It has always turned out well for me.

The Huckleberry Topping
In a medium sized saucepan, combine all ingredients except the butter. Heat and stir until it thickens. Stir in the butter if desired.

Remember to come back Wednesday for the What’s for Dinner Wednesday blog carnival. I’ll be telling you about my husband’s birthday dinner.

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Comments:
Mmm...I can just taste this! You have a very blessed husband.
 
Okay, in addition to the fact that this is a lovely cake - birthday or no - I just have to ask....just what *are* huckleberries and where do they grow?!

(I'm embaressed at this point to remember that *yes* I did grow up in the midwest and *yes* I should probably know these things, but I live in NYC for so long, I guess it knocked stuff like this right out of my memory!)
 
Sorry Dana, I forgot to answer your question. Huckleberries are similar to blueberries but smaller and a darker purplish color. I think they are grown mostly in the north. I've seen them in northern Idaho and Maine.
 
After giving it more thought, I think huckleberries are only grown in the northwest. Those were blueberries I had in Maine.
 
Thanks for the recipe. I am looking to make something natural and gluten free for my own birthday tomorrow. :) My sister has celiac disease, so although I usually just substitute whole wheat if a recipe calls for flour, I can't do that in this case because I want her to be able to eat the cheesecake too!
 
Your cheesecake sounds amazing. I am going to test this recipe soon for my husband's boss who is GF.

Huckleberries are WAY WAY WAY better than ripest, most perfect blueberries. :) Maybe I feel that way because huckleberries are an exotic treasure since I live in the midwest. I have only had them 3 times in the last 15 yrs, and I savored them every time as though it were my last time tasting them :)
 
There's a company called Lean on Me baking that makes a gluten-free cheesecake too, here's some information about their company:
http://gluten-free.tv/cheesecake
 
I honestly didn't know what a huckleberry was. How did that happen? lolol. This cheesecake recipe is exactly what a friend of mine at work was looking for about this time last year. She will be pleased! Thanks!
 

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