Gluten Free Dessert

Looking for a gluten free recipe for dessert? Cheesecake is my all time favorite dessert but I rarely eat it anymore since I discovered that I am not just allergic to wheat but need to eat a completely gluten free diet. I was very excited when I received some samples of Lucy’s new gluten-free cookies. What a treat. My kids and husband loved them, too, which was not such a good thing as they disappeared too quickly. I did manage to hide one box of the Ginger Snaps. These were my favorite flavor and I also thought they would make a great gingersnap crust for cheesecake.

So I did some recipe hunting and discovered Lucy’s cookies were recently featured in a Holiday Desserts article in the Winter/Holiday issue of Delight Gluten Free. They featured half a dozen delicious sounding gluten free recipes. I can’t wait to try several of them but this one sounded delicious and perfect for a Thanksgiving dessert that would stand out again pumpkin pie and pecan pie, too of our family favorites!

Lemon Gingersnap Cheesecake

Yield: 8-10 servings
2 (5.5oz) packages Dr. Lucy’s Gingersnap Cookies
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
¾ cup sour cream
1 15. oz container Ricotta cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 2 lemons
3 fluid ounces lemon juice, strained
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup butter
4 egg yolks
Fresh mint leaves for garnish
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a food processor, combine Dr. Lucy’s Gingersnap Cookies with melted butter. Pulse until a finely ground crust forms. Lightly spray a spring form pan with non-stick spray. Press the gingersnap cookie crust into the bottom of the pan and set aside.
2. In a food processor, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, and ricotta. With the machine running, slowly add in the sugar and eggs and mix until completely smooth. Add in the vanilla.
3. Pour the mixture onto the crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool in the pan for 45 minutes to an hour. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely for 3 to 4 hours.
4. To make the lemon custard, combine lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until liquid. To temper the egg yolks, beat one-quarter of the boiling liquid into the egg yolks.
6. Over low heat, return the remaining lemon juice liquid to a boil. Whisk the egg yolk mixture into the boiling liquid and continue whisking until it thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. It may come to a slight simmer, but
do not allow the custard to boil.
7. Pour the lemon custard into a clean container; press plastic wrap against the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
8. Drizzle or spread the cooled lemon custard on top of the chilled cheesecake. Chill for an additional hour until set and firm. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

On the market since December 2007, Lucy’s currently offers seven flavors of gluten-free allergy-friendly cookies—ginger snap, maple, chocolate, chocolate chip, cinnamon, sugar and oatmeal packaged in both 5.5 ounce boxes and 1.25 ounce grab & go packs. All cookies are baked without wheat, gluten, dairy milk, butter, eggs, casein, peanuts or tree nuts. Lucy’s incorporates a three component allergen control program that includes selectively sourcing raw materials, testing for trace allergens in an on-site lab and baking in a dedicated facility. For more information or nutritional details, visit Lucy’s online. Want to try them yourself? Lucy’s cookies are available locally in Whole Foods Market, Central Market, and Sprout’s Farmers Market.