Orange Scented Blueberry Cheesecake - Gluten Free Crust

Blueberry Cheesecake

Is there anything better to usher in the flavors of spring than a blueberry cheesecake?  This is an updated version of the classic most of us have enjoyed over the years.  You know the one that involves topping a New York style cake with a can of blueberry pie filling.  Don't get me wrong that version is great but sometimes it's a bit too sweet for my taste.  This version uses the berries more as an accent to the decadent cake instead of making it the berries the main focus.  The orange zest in the batter and crust do wonders to brighten the flavors in this one.    And in honor of it being Pi day today I opted for a pie plate versus my usual spring form pan.  Be sure to see my recipe notes for regrets about that choice.  You live and you learn.  

Ingredients for the crust:

• 7 oz gluten free shortbread cookies, crushed into crumbs. ( I used 1 box of Pamela’s Lemon Shortbread cookies) 
• 4 tbsp butter, melted               
• 2 tbs sugar    
• the zest of ½ an orange

Ingredients for the batter:

• 7 oz Greek yogurt 
• 16 oz cream cheese, softened (regular or light)
• 3 eggs 
•  2/3 cup sugar 
• 2 tsp vanilla 
• 1 cup blueberries
•  the zest of ½ an orange               

Video Tutorial:

Instructions:

1.    Preheat the oven to 325°F  or 165 °C.  Prepare the oven by placing a sheet pan on the lower rack  just encase anything spills over from the upper rack where the cake will bake.  Also place a small pan of water onto the sheet pan to create a moist baking environment. 

2.    After washing the orange zest ½ the orange into the sugar going into the crust mixture and the other half into the container of yogurt that will be added to the batter.

3.    To make the crust, stir together the cookie crumbs, melted butter, sugar and orange zest until you’ve got a sandy texture then spread the crust mixture into the bottom and up the sides of either a 10 inch, deep dish pie plate, or a 9” spring form pan then refrigerate to set.

4.    For the batter, beat together the cream cheese, yogurt, sugar, vanilla and orange zest until smooth and lump free.    Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula periodically. Then add the eggs one at a time making sure that each egg is full incorporated before adding the next then continue mixing until the batter is smooth and everything is well incorporated.

5.    Pour the batter into the prepared crust and then evenly scatter ½ the berries across the top of the pie.  Use a skewer or toothpick to sink those berries just about ½ inch beneath the surface then evenly scatter the remaining berries on top.  This method insures pretty even distribution and keeps the berries from getting crushed up but if you want to just mix them directly into the batter it’s not going to hurt anything.

6.    Bake an hour and 10 minutes.  And it’s done.  The cake will be puffed up about an inch above the edge of the pan.  Within a minute or two it will quickly settled back into place.  Once the cake cools to room temperature refrigerate it for at least 4 hours, but overnight is even better. Slice it up and serve.

Notes:  Since I made this cake on March 14^th otherwise known as Pi day I thought that using a pie plate would be apropos.  I have to admit that this wasn't the best idea.  Next time I’ll use my spring form pan.   Sadly, the first two slices of my cake/pie were badly massacred as I practically had to dig them out of the pie plate.  A spring form pan with its removable sides makes slicing and serving a cheesecake a heck of a lot easier.  


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 March Blog Hop. <---Click to Vote between March 25th - 29th 2012.