Tomorrow, 30 July, is National Cheesecake Day. Why not make and serve something special that will WOW your guests. Make sure to save a piece for yourself. It is gluten free but no one will object or know the difference. Here is the recipe:
CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY TRUFFLE CHEESECAKE
(gluten free)
To toast the hazelnuts, spread them on a baking sheet and cook in a preheated 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes; let cool slightly. Place nuts in a cloth towel and rub to remove skins.
2 ½ cups finely crushed gluten free Midel Chocolate Chip Cookie crumbs
½ cup toasted, skinned and chopped hazelnuts
10 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup whipping cream
½ cup seedless raspberry jam
1 ½ pounds cream cheese, softened (Philadelphia brand works best)
3 Tablespoons mild flavored honey
4 large eggs
3 Tablespoons Chambord raspberry liqueur
1 cup gluten free sour cream
½ cup fresh raspberries, for garnish
Raspberry sauce (see below)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine crushed cookie crumbs and chopped hazelnuts. Stir in 6 tablespoons of the melted butter. Press mixture firmly into bottom and 2 inches up the sides of a 10 inch springform pan. Bake 6 minutes; cool.
In the top of a double boiler, combine chocolate chips and cream. Place over hot (not boiling) water and melt chocolate. Add raspberry jam and whisk until smooth; set aside.
In a food processor or with an electric mixer, blend cream cheese and the 3 tablespoons of honey. Add eggs, one at a time, and process until smooth. Blend in melted chocolate mixture, then remaining melted butter, and 2 tablespoons of the raspberry liqueur.
Pour into cooled crust. Bake until set (about 1 hour). Remove and cool 45 minutes on a rack.
If oven has been turned off, preheat to 350 degrees. Stir together sour cream, the remaining 1 tablespoon of Chambord raspberry liqueur, 1 tablespoon honey (optional). Spread over top of cheesecake. Bake 6 minutes. Cool, then cover and chill. Garnish with raspberries, and serve with raspberry sauce, if desired.
Serves 10 to 12
Variation: Cheesecake can also be baked in a 9 by 13 inch baking pan. For topping, combine 2 cups sour cream, 1 tablespoon honey and 2 tablespoons Chambord raspberry liqueur. When cheesecake has chilled thoroughly, cut into 1 inch squares. Garnish each square with a fresh raspberry and serve in pastel paper cups.
Raspberry Sauce
(makes 1 ½ cups)
1 package (10 ounces) frozen IQF (individually quick frozen) raspberries, unsweetened,
thawed
½ cup currant jelly
2 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon gluten free corn starch
In a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan, bring raspberries and jelly to a boil. Combine cold water and cornstarch and whisk into raspberry mixture. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Cool and strain through fine sieve. Serve in a small pitcher with spoon or ladle, if necessary.
N.B.: it is suggested to use the best quality jams, Chambord liqueur, Philadelphia (Kraft Foods) cream cheese, Nestle chocolate chips (Giardelli chips are too rich, personal taste), unsweetened raspberries and honey instead of sugar. Using honey allows less sweetener and also keeps the cake moister and smoother. There are other chocolate chip cookies besides Midel. Sometimes one or the other is unavailable. Again, personal taste and availability will dictate what you use. (This recipe is adapted from a recipe in Hampshire Life, Chef’s Best page, in the Daily Hampshire Gazette, Northampton, MA, September 22, 1989) Bon Appetit. Bruce Homstead, MS, RDN, LDN. www.glutenwarrior.com ,
www.facebook.com/bhomstead
