Gluten-free Desserts

Crust:

1½ c. walnuts

¼ c. sugar

½ c. butter, melted

Filling:

6 c. quartered hulled strawberries (about 24 oz.)

1 c. sugar

¼ c. cornstarch

2 tbs. lemon juice

Whipped Cream:

1½ c. chilled whipping cream

¼ c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

For crust:

Position rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 350˚. Butter 9-inch glass pie dish. Finely chop the walnuts in the food processor. Add sugar and process until finely ground. Add butter and process until evenly moistened. Press nut mixture onto the bottom and up the sides the pie dish.

Bake until the crust is set, about 10-12 minutes. Cool completely.

For filling:

Place 2 c. strawberries in a medium saucepan. Mash with a potato masher until chunky. Add sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Stir over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils and thickens, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Stir in remaining 3 cups strawberries. Mound filling in crust. Chill until cold and set, at least 2 hours.

For whipped cream:

Using an electric mixer, beat cream, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl until peaks form.

Spread whipped cream over the filling.

Refrigerate pie up to 5 hours. Makes 6 servings.

Gluten-free Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce

Cheesecake:

1 tsp. butter

¼ c. finely ground almonds (eliminate if you're allergic to nuts)

4 8-oz. packages cream cheese

½ c. heavy cream

1 ¼ c. sugar

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

Need a 9-inch, straight-sided pan that's 3 inches deep.

Preheat the oven to 325˚. Cut a circle of aluminum foil to fit in the bottom of the pan. (To do this, place a piece of aluminum foil on the counter, place the pan on top and using a knife, lightly mark the outline of the pan on the aluminum foil, then cut the circle out. Place in the bottom of the pan, butter, and dust with the ground almonds. Save extra nuts.

In an electric mixer, beat cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Add cream, beat, then add eggs and vanilla and beat again.

Pour into prepared pan and place this pan into a slightly larger pan (also with 3-inch sides.) Pour boiling water into larger pan to come 2/3-3/4 up the side of the pan.

Bake until firm, about 2 hours, adding more boiling water if necessary. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly, and let the cheesecake sit until cool.

When cool, place in a refrigerator until cold, then freeze overnight. The next day, remove from the refrigerator, run the sharp edge of a paring knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the cheesecake, then turn over onto plate. The cheesecake should drop from the pan onto the plate. Remove the piece of aluminum foil and use extra nuts to dust the top.

Cheesecake serves 8-10. Can be frozen for two months.

Raspberry Sauce:

10 oz. box frozen red raspberries, thawed slightly

¼ c. sugar (if the raspberries are unsweetened)

(Note: some raspberries are sweetened, others are unsweetened. You can use either, just adjust the sugar amount accordingly.)

Garnish: Fresh red raspberries.

Pureé the raspberries in the food processor. Add the sugar to taste.

Can be stored for 3 days in the refrigerator.

Slice the cheesecake, top with the sauce and garnish with a few raspberries.