A Creamy Alternative to Gluten

Having recently experimented in baking with vegan alternatives, the concept of a gluten-free dessert was far less intimidating. Granted, there were a number of considerations I had to take into account (including the fact that, unless labeled “pure”, vanilla extracts and flavorings contain gluten!), but the majority of the staples were still in play (i.e. eggs, milk, sugar, etc.).  As such, I was able to choose a simple solution with a decadent result: Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake with a Caramel Sauce and Gluten-Free Gingersnap Crust.

This recipe, from Food.com (formerly known as RecipeZaar), is allegedly a la Cheesecake Factory style. The biggest change I made was the topic of this entry: I altered the crust to produce a gluten-free dessert. Some cheesecakes call for 2 – 3 tablespoons of flour. I avoid these recipes altogether since I am something of a cheesecake purist. Thus, this recipe was entirely without gluten aside from the crust. I simply replaced the suggested graham cracker crust with a gluten free alternative of MI-DEL gingersnap cookies.

Gluten intolerance, known as Celiac Disease, is a relatively new concept in American diagnostics, and is believed to effect up to 1 in every 105 persons in the United States. It is an autoimmune disease where the body reacts to the appearance of gliadin, a glycoprotein found in heat products, and results in the degeneration of intestinal villi. This consequently interferes with the absorption of nutrients, inducing the symptoms of fatigue, weight loss, anemia, etc (Wikipedia). The party I baked this cake for had not one but TWO present with Celiac, so I made sure to do my homework. 

Cheesecake is a specialty of mine, probably given that it is my favorite. Whether in its simplest form (New York Style) or extremely complex (Red Velvet Cheesecake), it is a dessert that never fails to please. 

Notes: I used a 9-inch spring-form pan, rather than the 8-inch originally called for. The caramel sauce I used is from a previous recipe I posted a while back - Dorie Greenspan knows her stuff ;-) 

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce and a Gluten-Free Gingersnap Crust

Adapted via Food.com

Yields: 8 - 10 Servings 

Ingredients
Gluten-Free Gingersnap Crust:

   - 1 1/2 cups MI-DEL Gluten-Free gingersnap cookies, finely crumbled

   - 5 tablespoons butter, melted

   - 1 tablespoon sugar

Pumpkin Cheesecake

   - 1 cup sugar 

   - 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese (at room temperature)

   - 1 teaspoon vanilla (make sure it’s PURE, or else it might have gluten!)

   - 1 cup canned pumpkin 

   - 3 large eggs (at room temperature)

   - 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

   - 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

   - 1/4 teaspoon allspice

Caramel Sauce

   - 2 cups sugar

   - ½ cup water

   - 1 ½ tablespoons light corn syrup

   - 2/3 cup heavy cream

   - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions: 

For crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap tin foil around the outside of a 9-inch spring-form pan, and spray lightly with cooking spray. Combine the gingersnap crumbs with the melted butter and sugar in a medium bowl. Stir well enough to coat all of the crumbs with the butter. Press onto the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan. Bake the crust for 5 – 7 minutes,  then set aside until you are ready to fill it.

For cheesecake: In a large mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Mix with either the paddle attachment (in a stand mixer) or with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice and continue beating until smooth and creamy. Pour the filling into the pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes. Once the center has almost set, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside for an additional hour.

For caramel sauce: Combine the sugar, water and corn syrup in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, stirring just to combine the ingredients. Place the pan over medium-high heat. Heat, without stirring, until the caramel turns deep amber, 5 to 10 minutes depending on the size of your saucepan and the intensity of the heat. As the sugar is caramelizing, wipe down any splatters on the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. To test the color of the caramel, drop a bit onto a white plate. Don’t be timid about the color – if it’s too pale, it won’t have much flavor.

Lower the heat a bit and, standing back from the saucepan, add the cream and butter. When the spatters are less vehement, stir to calm down the caramel and dissolve any lumps. Let cool for a bit, then pour over the top of cheesecake – cut with a knife, dipped in after water every slice to prevent a mess, and enjoy! 

The Vegan Experiment

The words "eggless" and "dairy-free" are two that can become a baker's worst nightmare. My friend Laynard, a devoted vegan, just recently celebrated his birthday, and was ecstatic when I offered my baking services. Yet after hours of surfing my favorite sites (while watching outdated episodes of SNL on Hulu), I discovered the innate challenges vegan baking can present. From egg replacers to soy yogurts, I had to fully familiarize myself with a vocabulary of foreign terms and ingredients. It was Whole Foods (go figure) that came to the rescue with a gorgeous cake PERFECT for fall weather - Triple-Layer Vegan Carrot Cake with Soy Cream Cheese Frosting

 Knowing full well that Whole Foods carries all the necessary ingredients, I endeavored to restock my baking staples with vegan-friendly items. This included Ener-G Egg Replacer, Earth Balance “Butter” Sticks, and Tofutti Cream Cheese. Despite the guarantee that these supplements would work “just like the real thing,” you can imagine my apprehension as a first-time vegan baker.

To make a long story short, this cake was amazing! There obviously was an altered look to the cakes, and they were quite fragile as well. So long as you handle the layers carefully, the shape of the cake will be maintained. The frosting, while not as rich as your traditional cream frosting, provided a delicious alternative. The cake had a lush texture with a moist crumb – so for those looking to experiment with the terms “eggless” and “dairy,” this cake receives my stamp of approval! One minor confession (but don’t all of my posts have these?): I used canola oil rather than safflower, but the substitution was by no means a game-changer. I also omitted the raisins, but I can blame Whole Foods for not having any in stock (and for some reason the convenience store down the block was just too far away to bother). Enjoy!

Triple-Layer Vegan Carrot Cake with Soy Cream Cheese Frosting

Adapted via Whole Foods

Serves 14 - 16

Ingredients

Carrot Cake:  

   - 2 1/2 cups flour
   - 1 teaspoon salt
   - 2 teaspoons baking soda
   - 4 teaspoons baking powder
   - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
   - 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
   - 1 teaspoon ground ginger
   - 3 tablespoons egg replacer
   - 2 cups light brown sugar
   - 1 cup safflower oil (I used canola)
   - 1 cup almond milk (unsweetened, original)
   - 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
   - 3/4 pound carrots, finely grated (about 3 cups)
   - 1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
   - 1 cup seedless raisins

Frosting
   - 12 tablespoons non-hydrogenated margarine, chilled and cut into pieces
   - 1 1/2 pounds soy cream cheese, cold
   - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
   - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method
For Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease three (9-inch) round cake pans; set aside. Put flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and egg replacer into a mixing bowl and whisk together to blend. Put sugar in a separate large mixing bowl and whisk in safflower oil, almond milk and applesauce. When fully combined, add almond milk mixture to flour mixture and mix just until smooth. Stir in carrots, walnuts and raisins, then divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the center springs back gently when pressed. Remove from oven and transfer to racks to let cool completely.

For Frosting: Beat margarine in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add cream cheese in pieces and mix until thoroughly blended. Slowly add sugar and vanilla and mix until blended. Increase mixer speed slightly and continue mixing for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Cover and set aside until ready to use (I would recommend chilling this for about 20 minutes, just to allow it to stiffen)

For Assembly: Place a cake layer, bottom side up, on a cake plate or pedestal. Spoon one-quarter of the frosting onto the top and spread it evenly. Place a second cake layer, bottom side down, on top of the first, and spread with an equal amount of frosting. Place the final cake layer, bottom side down, on top of the others and frost the top and sides with remaining frosting. Cover and chill until ready to serve or set aside to let set for 30 minutes, then cut into slices and serve.