Category: Recipes

Easy Basque Cheesecake

Our monthly meetings have lively conversations about all things GF. And often a chance to try different tasty GF items.

At our January meeting extraordinary baker Sally brought a Basque Cheesecake. Boy was it tasty.

Sally said she used the recipe from https://www.recipetineats.com/basque-cheesecake/ (see recipe below). She said, “Just replace the flour with any gluten free “replacement”-style flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1, King Arthur Measure for Measure, Cup4Cup, Namaste Perfect Flour Blend, etc.”

Ingredients

  • 750 g / 1.5 lb cream cheese blocks , room temperature (I use Philadelphia, Note 1)
  • 1 cup caster / superfine sugar (regular white sugar ok too)
  • 1 1/4 cups whipping cream , take out of fridge 15 minutes prior (Note 2)
  • 1/4 cup flour , plain/all-purpose
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean extract or paste
  • 3/4 cups + 1 tbsp lightly whisked eggs , at room temperature, ~4-5 large eggs (yes, I need you to measure! Note 3)

Instructions

  • See below for full length written recipe. Shorthand recipe is for experienced bakers.

Shorthand recipe

  • Prep – Preheat oven to 220°C / 425°F (200°C fan) with the shelf in the middle. Press scrunched paper into 20cm/8″ springform pan.
  • Batter – Beat cream cheese 2 minutes on medium. Beat in sugar on low speed for 10 seconds. In separate bowl, hand whisk 1/4 cup cream with the flour (becomes like paste). Whisk in remaining cream and vanilla. While beating on low, slowly pour cream into cream cheese, then eggs (don’t overbeat).
  • Bake – Pour into pan, bang pan on counter, pop bubbles with knife. Bake 45 min (up to 65 min possible, Note 8) until top deep golden. Cool 2 hrs on counter then 8 hrs+ in fridge uncovered. Ready for serving!

Full instructions recipe

  • Preheat oven to 220°C / 425°F (200°C fan) with the shelf in the middle of the oven.
  • Pan prep (Note 4) – Press 2 x 40cm/16″ sheets of scrunched up baking/parchment paper arranged in an “X” into a 20cm/8″ springform pan (6cm / 2.5″ tall), and fold down over the rim to hold in place. You’ll need to scrunch/pleat to fit which creates the signature rustic sides! The batter will weigh it down so don’t worry if it doesn’t stay in.
  • Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed, until smooth and lump-free. Add sugar and beat on low speed for 10 seconds.
  • Flour & cream (Note 6) – Put about 1/4 of the cream and all the flour in a medium bowl. Hand whisk until lump free (it will be paste-like), then slowly pour in the remaining cream while whisking. Once flour is incorporated, whisk in vanilla. (PS not making whipped cream here! Should be pourable)
  • Slowly pour the cream into the cream cheese bowl with the beater going on low. Beat just until combined. Then slowly pour the eggs in while the beater is still on low speed. As soon as the eggs are incorporated, stop beating to minimise getting bubbles in the batter (Note 7).
  • Remove air bubbles – Pour into the prepared pan. Bang the pan on the counter then pop bubbles that rise to the surface with a small sharp knife. I do repeat 3 to 5 times. (Note 7)
  • Bake 45 minutes or until the surface is a deep golden brown. It can take up to 65 minutes and that’s fine! (Seriously, read Note 8) Keep a close eye on it for the last 15 minutes, you want it deeply golden but not burnt. The centre will still be wobbly and the cake will rise like a soufflé.
  • Chill overnight – Cool in the cake pan for at least 2 hours on the counter (it will sink, that’s normal). Then refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours, uncovered.
  • Serving – Release the sides of the springform pan. Hold excess paper overhang to lift off base onto a cutting board or plate. Fold down sides – I love serving it on the paper, it’s part of the visuals! Bring to room temp for 30 minutes if time permits, though also great served chilled. Cut like cake! Eat as is – doesn’t need cream, berries etc.

Notes

1. Cream cheese – 3 x 250g/8oz blocks. Philadelphia is my go-to, but we made this with a variety of brands (including most economical) and it still worked great. Tub spreadable cream cheese also works, albeit the inside is marginally more creamy (some would find it even more appealing!) But DO NOT USE LOW FAT! Won’t set properly.

2. Whipping cream – Make sure you use cream that can be whipped. Not all creams are. Read the label. 🙂 And again, NO LOW FAT! 🙂 Taking it out of the fridge prior to use is to de-chill slightly so it incorporates better with the other ingredients.

3. Measuring the eggs – Yes, I really need you to measure the eggs for this recipe, because selfish chickens just won’t lay the same size eggs every time. I rarely ask this in cakes – only when it matters! (PS Eggs are slightly lighter than water so 220g eggs = 200 ml).

4. Pan & lining – Don’t get too hung up about the paper, the batter will weigh it down. Scrunch paper in your fist, makes it easier to fit into pan and you get the signature nubbly sides. Fit into corners as best you can – sometimes I use cans to mould in while I make filling. Also prevents side from overcooking (because side is not in full contact with pan). Don’t grease the pan – conducts heat and the sides will get too brown. 

No springform pan? It’s ok, just use a slightly larger paper so you can lift the cake out of your regular 20cm/8″ cake pan (6cm / 2.5″ high).

5. Beater speeds: Low = lowest speed, medium = halfway (eg speed 5 of 10), medium high = 3/4 of the way (eg speed7 of 10).

6. Cream & flour – Be careful not to pour in too much cream at the beginning else you’ll get pesky flour lumps.

7. Air bubbles in batter = browned lumps on surface of cooked cake. It’s just a visual thing, totally not a big deal. Almost always have some bubbles on the surface 🙂

8. Baking time – Go by surface colour to tell when it’s done. The bake time differs from 45 minutes to 65 minutes depending on oven brands. Mine is a Miele (45 min), JB’s Westinghouse takes 65 min. End result is the same, both surface colour and creaminess of inside. It’s extraordinary! We tested this quite extensively because we found it hard to believe ourselves. 🙂

9. Leftovers will keep for 5 days in the fridge. Flavour gets even better on Day 2 and beyond! Not suitable for  freezing.

Nutrition per serving, assuming 12 servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 398cal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 224mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 1283IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Leek, Potato, and Cheese Galette

Ingredients

1 pie crust, rolled and unbaked – can purchase a frozen crust and do the recipe in a pie pan or use the recipe in the post for Extra-Flaky Piecrust

1/4 c olive oil

2 leeks, thinly sliced

3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed/sliced thin

3 medium Russet potatoes, scrubbed/sliced thin

salt and pepper to taste

½ c cheese – I like either Gruyere, Feta or Cheddar

Process

Preheat oven to 425

Line baking sheet with parchment

Transfer pie crust to parchment

In a saute pan, heat 1 T olive oil and saute leeks until tender

Transfer leeks to a bowl and set aside.

Add 2T olive oil to a baking pan or sheet pan, arrange the potatoes in the pan slightly overlapping.

Season with salt and pepper, drizzle 1 T additional olive oil over the potatoes

Roast potatoes, 400 degrees, for 15 – 20 minutes until they are tender

Do not overload the pan with the potatoes,

small batches will prevent steaming and allow for some browning.

Transfer the potato slices to a platter to hold while continuing to cook the rest of the potatoes in batches adding additional oil as needed.

When all the potatoes are cooked assemble the galette alternating scallions, potatoes and cheese on the pie crust finishing the layers so that the final layer is potatoes.

Leave a goodly inch of pastry dough along the edges to allow for folding the dough over the layered items.

Roll the edges of the dough up over the edge of the layered potatoes.

Bake 45 – 55 minutes

Extra-Flaky Piecrust

glutenfreeonashoestring.com

Read the full recipe – search for extra-flaky gf sour cream piecrust

This piecrust recipe was shared with us from Sally who has been attending our monthly meet-ups. I decided to give it a try with my recipe for a savory galette.

Here’s the piecrust recipe:

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups all purpose gf flour blend
  • ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter roughly chopped and chilled
  • ½ cup (120 g) sour cream full fat, preferably, chilled
  • Ice water by the teaspoonful as necessary

Instructions

In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt, and whisk to combine well.

Add the chopped and chilled butter, and toss to coat it in the dry ingredients.

Flatten each chunk of butter between your thumb and forefinger.

Add the sour cream, and mix to moisten the dry ingredients with the sour cream.

The dough should be shaggy and somewhat crumbly.

Knead the dough together with clean hands until it begins to come together.

Add ice water by the teaspoon only if necessary for the dough to hold together.

Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, and press into a disk as you close the plastic wrap around the dough. It will still seem rough.

Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch metal pie plate generously and set aside.

SMOOTH OUT THE CHILLED DOUGH.

Once the dough has chilled, turn it out onto a lightly floured piece of unbleached parchment paper. Sprinkle the dough lightly with more flour, and roll it out into a rectangle that is about 1 inch thick, moving the dough frequently and sprinkling it lightly with flour if it begins to stick.

Fold the dough over on itself like you would a business letter. Sprinkle the dough again lightly with flour, and roll out the dough once again into a rectangle about 1 inch thick.

Twice more, remove the top piece of parchment paper, sprinkle lightly with flour, and fold the dough over on itself like you would a business letter.

For Pies – SHAPE THE DOUGH INTO THE PIE PLATE.

For Galette – ROLL DOUGH OUT ON PARCHMENT, TRANSFER THE ENTIRE PARCHMENT PAPER AND DOUGH TO A FLAT BAKING PAN. Disregard the parbake.

  1. Roll out the dough into an approximately 12-inch round, about 3/8-inch thick. Roll the pie crust loosely onto the rolling pin and then unroll it over the prepared pie plate.
  2. Trim the roughest edges of the crust with kitchen shears. Lift up the edges of the pie crust gently to create slack in the crust, and place the crust into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate.
  3. Tuck the excess pie crust under itself, and crimp the edge gently all the way around the crust by pinching the dough at regular intervals with one hand, and creating a crimped impression with the forefinger of the other hand. Cover the pie crust with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill until firm, at least 30 minutes (and up to 3 days).

PARBAKE THE CRUST.

  1. Remove the pie crust from the refrigerator and unwrap and discard the plastic. Pierce the bottom of the pie crust all over with the tines of a fork.
  2. Place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the raw crust and cover the bottom of the crust with pie weights or dried beans.
  3. Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the crust is lightly golden brown on the edges, about 10 minutes.
  4. Remove the pie weights and parchment and allow the crust to cool before proceeding with your recipe.

RICOTTA GNOCCHI

Ingredients

16 oz container ricotta cheese, whole milk

1 egg

¼ c Parmesan OR Romano cheese, grated

2 c multi-purpose flour

Method

In a medium mixing bowl combine the ricotta, egg, and grated cheese

Add flour, ¼ c at a time continuing to mix thoroughly until dough comes together.

You may not need to add all the flour in this step but can add more as you work the dough

Transfer the dough onto generously floured surface and work to bring together into a smooth ball.

Add more flour as necessary until dough is smooth and no longer sticks to your hands.

Cut the dough into two or three equal pieces

Roll each piece into thumb width ropes

Cut the rope into 1-inch pieces.

If desired, roll each piece off the tines of a fork to imprint the dough

Transfer gnocchi pieces to a lightly floured board/tray while cutting the rest of the ropes.

Cover lightly with a cloth to prevent drying OR transfer the tray to the freezer to freeze the gnocchi for later use.

Once the gnocchi are frozen they can be transferred to a container to hold for later.

To prepare, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.

Add gnocchi to boiling water and gently stir once with a spoon to create movement and prevent gnocchi from sticking.

The gnocchi will rise to surface of the water as they are done cooking.

Scoop them out, shake off excess water and place in serving bowl

When all the gnocchi is cooked they can be topped with your favorite sauce or melted butter and cheese.

Generously top with grated cheese and serve.