Gluten Free White Chocalate? Cheesecake?

[dreemer406]

Hello!!

Ok so its my husbands birthday and I wanted to make a dessert we both could eat that was kinda simple. I have been looking for an easy cheesecake recipie. I did find one but it calls for white chocolate. Does anyone know a white chocolate i could get at a local grocery store that is gluten free? Any other easy recipies for a simple dessert would be great!!! I dont do much baking so the simpler the better......oh yeah one more thing ...what is caster sugar? is that gluten free?

It calls for that too.

HELP!!!! birthday is in 3 days!!!......Thanks Jen:)

[ciavyn]

Unless it has cookie crumbs or something in it, you should be fine. I love white chocolate and eat it regularly. There is a great recipe on here for graham crackers crusts, if you do a search -- it is super yummy. And Cheesecake sounds like a fun dessert for a birthday. Let us know how it turns out.

[dreemer406]

Unless it has cookie crumbs or something in it, you should be fine. I love white chocolate and eat it regularly. There is a great recipe on here for graham crackers crusts, if you do a search -- it is super yummy. And Cheesecake sounds like a fun dessert for a birthday. Let us know how it turns out.

Ok great!!! Im so nervous about everything. I was only diagnosed in february and Im still not all that healthy so I try to be really careful. So any white chocolate shoud be ok? Im gonna check out the grocery store and see what I can find..This is the link to what Im gonna try to make. You can check it out if you want!!!

www.philadelphiacreamcheese.com.au/recipes/Cheesecakes/Top-10-Cheesecakes/Strawberry,-White-Chocolate-and-Vanilla-Cheesecake

[dreemer406]

Ok thanks...I tried to type a reply but it doesnt seem like it posted. So maybe it will post twice.Sorry if Im repeating myself!

So any white chocolate is gluten free? Im really nervous because I was only recently diagnosed in february so I try to be really careful.

Here is a link to the recipie I might try if you wanna check it out!!!

/www.philadelphiacreamcheese.com.au/recipes/Cheesecakes/Top-10-Cheesecakes/Strawberry,-White-Chocolate-and-Vanilla-Cheesecake.aspx

[CeliacMom2008]

My son LOVES cheesecake, so we make a lot of them around here.

As for the chips, I'd suggest starting with Ghiradelli or Nestle and then call the manufacturer to be sure there is no cross contamination (assuming the ingredients list looks OK).

For crust, I toast almonds then put them in food processor (or blender if you don't have a food processor) with melted butter and sugar. Press into cheesecake pan for a crust. I usually bring the crust up about 1/3 to 1/2 way up the sides (I think it looks cool that way). I put the exact recipe below.

Another tip I got from a baker friend:

For ALL cheesecakes... Regardless of what the instructions, if baked in a spring form pan:

Preheat oven to 300.

Put a water bath on the second shelf (a pan with boiling water in it.)

On the top shelf put your cheesecake and bake for ONE HOUR ONLY.

DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR. At the end of one hour, turn off oven and let cheesecake remain in oven for 8 hours or overnight.

It will Never crack... It will be light...and it will be a perfect cheesecake.

DO NOT OPEN THAT DOOR TO CHECK OR LOOK AT IT. Keep all that heat and moisture in the oven.

Never raise and lower the temperature and never bake higher than 300.

It will be perfect every time!

Cheesecake Toasted Almond Crust

1 1/2-cup toasted almonds

1/2-cup sugar

2-tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1/2-tsp almond extract (I don't use this usually)

In a food processor, blend the almonds and sugar to a coarse meal

Add the butter and almond extract and process until fully blended

Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan

Chill for 30 minutes before adding filling

Cheesecakes are very easy and hve the added benefit of looking really special. We make keylime and chocolate turtle as well as plain. When I make the plain I put out dishes of mini chocolate chips, cherry pie filling, and carmel sauce (like you would use on ice cream) so people can put the toppings of their choice on the cheesecake. This works well around here because everyone seems to have a different "favorite."

Happy birthday to your hubby and good luck!!

[ciavyn]

My son LOVES cheesecake, so we make a lot of them around here.

As for the chips, I'd suggest starting with Ghiradelli or Nestle and then call the manufacturer to be sure there is no cross contamination (assuming the ingredients list looks OK).

For crust, I toast almonds then put them in food processor (or blender if you don't have a food processor) with melted butter and sugar. Press into cheesecake pan for a crust. I usually bring the crust up about 1/3 to 1/2 way up the sides (I think it looks cool that way). I put the exact recipe below.

Another tip I got from a baker friend:

For ALL cheesecakes... Regardless of what the instructions, if baked in a spring form pan:

Preheat oven to 300.

Put a water bath on the second shelf (a pan with boiling water in it.)

On the top shelf put your cheesecake and bake for ONE HOUR ONLY.

DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR. At the end of one hour, turn off oven and let cheesecake remain in oven for 8 hours or overnight.

It will Never crack... It will be light...and it will be a perfect cheesecake.

DO NOT OPEN THAT DOOR TO CHECK OR LOOK AT IT. Keep all that heat and moisture in the oven.

Never raise and lower the temperature and never bake higher than 300.

It will be perfect every time!

Cheesecake Toasted Almond Crust

1 1/2-cup toasted almonds

1/2-cup sugar

2-tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1/2-tsp almond extract (I don't use this usually)

In a food processor, blend the almonds and sugar to a coarse meal

Add the butter and almond extract and process until fully blended

Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan

Chill for 30 minutes before adding filling

Cheesecakes are very easy and hve the added benefit of looking really special. We make keylime and chocolate turtle as well as plain. When I make the plain I put out dishes of mini chocolate chips, cherry pie filling, and carmel sauce (like you would use on ice cream) so people can put the toppings of their choice on the cheesecake. This works well around here because everyone seems to have a different "favorite."

Happy birthday to your hubby and good luck!!

Wow -- that is interesting, and I'm definitely going to try it. Sounds lovely. Incidentally, if you add some flour to that almond crust mixture and brown sugar instead of white, it turns out very much like a graham crust...and super yummy.

[dreemer406]

I think Im gonna try that it sounds really yummy!! Im a very inexperienced baker so I hope I can pull it off. I can probally borrow the springform pan from someone else. Do you have a simple recipie for the actual cheesecake? I keep searching but I cant find a good one. Thanks for all your help so much!

[CeliacMom2008]

On the pan...my springform pan is non-stick and has dimples all over it. If you are borrowing a similar one, you need to make very sure that is clean, clean, clean. Mine has a lot of cracks and crevices that old gluten crusts could've gotten stuck into if it had been used for gluten baking... You can pick up a new pan pretty cheaply at Wal-mart, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc. And if you like cheesecake, you're going to love how easy gluten-free cheesecake is to make (trust me I was a terrible cook and baker pre-Celiac so I know about not knowing my way around a kitchen!) so you might as well have your own safe pan to use whenever you want. And if you start making cheesecakes everyone will be requesting that you bring "one of your amazing cheesecakes" to family and holiday gatherings!

Oh, and cheesecake freezes really well. If I have extras (not very often this happens), I slice them into individual pieces, wrap in Saran Wrap, and then put them in a freezer bag. Makes for a very yummy treat to pull out a slice when I have a craving...

Here is the recipe I use for plain and turtle. I started out using it for turtle cheesecake, but my family was picking out the chocolate and not using the carmel syrup. (Can you believe anyone would do that??) They prefer the cherries. So I just started omitting the chocolate chips p

Turtle Cheescake

Preheat over to 300 F.

Filling

2 lbs cream cheese

[dreemer406]

OK:) Im excited to try this. This recipie sounds awfully simple and yummy ! Im gonna try the plain one first. Mainly because I dont know where to find a gluten free caramel sauce. I have young kids and I think my 5 year old would love the idea of setting out different toppings to decorate it on your own. Do you know why some recipies call for sour cream? what does that do to make a difference? My other problem is that all the almonds i had looked at before at my grocery store say that they are also processed in a facility with wheat. Have not looked again recently but I will. Any reccomendations on a good brand? Im gonna make this tonight or tommorow morning to have on sunday so I will let you all know then how it turns out!! Thank you again for all your help.......Jen

[ciavyn]

OK:) Im excited to try this. This recipie sounds awfully simple and yummy ! Im gonna try the plain one first. Mainly because I dont know where to find a gluten free caramel sauce. I have young kids and I think my 5 year old would love the idea of setting out different toppings to decorate it on your own. Do you know why some recipies call for sour cream? what does that do to make a difference? My other problem is that all the almonds i had looked at before at my grocery store say that they are also processed in a facility with wheat. Have not looked again recently but I will. Any reccomendations on a good brand? Im gonna make this tonight or tommorow morning to have on sunday so I will let you all know then how it turns out!! Thank you again for all your help.......Jen

Jen -- I've not had a problem with the nuts in the store. Keep in mind that often these CYA statements are just that -- CYA. Many, many products are made on the same lines. Some people are VERY sensitive, and others aren't. So you'll have to decide as you go what you want to risk.

[njbeachbum]

i've made the best cheesecakes using Mi-Del or Pamela's cookie crumbs as a great cookie crust. zip 'em in the food processer and stir in some melted butter until you can press it into your springform. Really any gluten-free cookies work as long as they are dry and crunchy. My favorite is chocolate cookies in the crust or Mi-Del's pecan shortbread.

anyway, i eat ghirardelli's white chocolate all the time. they are a safe brand... just check the labels.

enjoy!

[CeliacMom2008]

I use Fisher almonds and Smucker's ice cream topping carmel sauce.