GLUTEN FREE MANGO MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE

The rich and creamy filling for this cheesecake includes both cream cheese and mascarpone cheese. The crust is made with gluten-free graham crackers and the cake is topped with fresh Mangoes pureed in a delicious Mango Nectar. A great dessert for any holiday or special occasion.

Step 1: INGREDIENTS (8 TO 12 Servings):

Start with the crust (because you will have to bake it for 10 minutes, then let it cool, before you can add the filling):

THE CRUST

1. *2 cups gluten-free graham cracker crumbs (I used Pamela's GF Cinnamon Grahams; it took about 1-1/2 boxes to create 2 cups of crumbs in a food processor).
2. 1-1/4 sticks of unsalted butter (10 TBS)

• *NOTE: You could use an unbaked store-bought crust, but, since I am baking my cheesecake in a spring form pan, I wanted to make my own crust.

THE FILLING:

1. 24 ounces (3 8-ounce packages) of the best cream cheese you can buy (use the good stuff; nothing fat-free or low calorie or substitute should be used here)!
2. 10 ounces Mascarpone Cheese (it is usually packaged in 8-ounce containers so buy two (If you are not familiar with Mascarpone I can assure you that once you taste it, you will not waste the rest of it)!
3. 3/4 cup Truvia or Splenda (you should probably use real sugar, but I am a diabetic and shouldn't even eat cheesecake).
4. 4 large eggs
5. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
6. 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
7. 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Salt Sense
8. 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

THE TOPPING:

1. 2 nice, plump, ripe Mangoes (ripe, but firm - not soft).
2. 1-1.4 cups of Mango Nectar
3. 1/3 cup Truvia or Splenda
4. 2 TBS cornstarch
5. 2 cups ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and pureed)

Step 2: PREPARATION (Step 1 - Prepare the Springform Pan; Make & Bake the Crust)

This is my second attempt to bake a cheesecake in a springform pan; the first time the crust stuck to the bottom of the pan and I had to pry it lose; not easy and kinda messy. After reading up on the subject I decided to line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper; that worked much better, but still not a perfect solution.

So . . .To prepare the pan:

1. Place the bottom of a 9 or 10" springform pan on a large sheet of parchment paper; then cut a circle that will be about 1-1/2 to 2" larger than the circumference of the pan
2. Next, measure the outside circumference of the pan; then cut a strip of parchment paper about 2 inches wide and slightly longer then the circumference (IE., You are making a 2" inch ring of parchment paper to insert into the pan).
3. Snap the bottom of the pan into the place and close the side (secure the springform clamp).
4. Lightly grease the bottom of the pan with cold butter, and also grease the sides from the bottom up for a couple of inches (this will help to cause the parchment paper to stick to the bottom and sides of the pan).
5. Gently insert the large circle of parchment paper into the pan; press it down and smooth it out. This should cause the excess paper to raise up around the inside of the pan. That's OK because you are now going to cover the sides with the paper ring
6. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of the parchment paper that has been placed in the pan with more butter, then insert the ring of paper and smooth it out around the inside of the pan as pictured above. Finish by lightly greasing the ring with more butter

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

1. In a food processor, break the graham crackers into large chunks, then pulse into large crumbs;
2. Add the *cold butter (all of it) to the food processor, cutting it into pieces as you do so. and pulse until the cracker crumbs have become a little smaller (finer - but not real fine) and begin to clump together.
3. Empty the crumbs into the springform pan and press down (you can use almost any heavy tool or device to do this; I find that my knuckles and fingers work just fine in this exercise). As you press the crumbs evenly down, some will gradually work their way up the sides. Try to create a firm bottom crust with about a 1/4 to 1/2" margin of crumbs around the bottom sides of the pan.
4. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the crust has become a golden brown.
5. Remove the pan and allow the crust to completely cool on a rack for about 10 minutes; then refrigerate for 20 or 30 minutes while you make the filling (IE.,take your time here; even take a short break before you make the filling).

• *NOTE: Cold butter added to the cracker crumbs helps them to stick together better than adding butter that has been brought to room temperature.

Step 3: PREPARATION (Step 2 - Prepare the Filling and Bake the Cake)

Remove cream cheese and mascarpone from the refrigerator and let it warm up on the counter for 20 or 30 minutes if you can; this makes it easier to blend.

Preheat or reheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Add the 24 ounces of cream cheese and the 10 ounces of mascarpone to a large mixing bowl and blend together with an electric blender at medium speed until it starts to become fluffy.
2. Add the eggs one at a time, blending each one into the cheese mixture separately.
3. Add the vanilla, lemon juice, nutmeg, sugar and salt, and thoroughly blend.
4. Pour mixture into the cooled graham cracker crust.
5. Bake until the edges begin to puff but the center is a bit "jingly" (about 25 to 30 minutes - it's OK if the edges have started to brown a little).
6. Shut off the oven but let the cheesecake rest inside (the oven) for about 1 hour with the door slightly open.
7. After one hour remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it rest on a rack for another hour; then refrigerate it uncovered overnight.

• The final step (see next page for Step 3) is to make the filling and top the cheesecake with it. Since the cheesecake is going to remain in the refrigerator overnight you can make the filling at your leisure and refrigerate it until you are ready to top the cake.

Step 4: PREPARATION (Step 3 - Make the Topping and Finish the Cheesecake)

1. Peel, remove pit, and slice & dice the mangoes (there are several good videos on the Internet that will show you an easy way to do dice the mangoes without having to peel them first) - I like to save a few small strips of mango with skin on for decoration.
2. Puree the mango in a blender (it is not necessary to make a really fine puree; it can be a little "chunky").
3. Pour pureed mango into a heatproof bowl and set aside.
4. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/4 cup of Mango Nectar and set aside.
5. Pour 1 cup of Mango Nectar into a sauce pan, stir in the sugar, and bring the mix to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
6. Add the cornstarch/nectar mixture to the pan and stir until the mixture starts to thicken and become clear (just a few seconds).
7. Remove sauce from the stove and pour over the pureed mango. Stir to blend.
8. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to use.
9. When you remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator, spread a thin layer of chilled sauce over the top (and decorate if you wish). Reserve any leftover sauce and serve on the side.

Step 5: TIME FOR DESSERT . . .

Ummm, Good! I don't know what else I can say - except perhaps if you don't like mangoes you can probably work out a similar recipe using your favorite fruit(s) as a topping. Strawberries, cherries, blueberries, should all work fine.

Bon appétit

Step 6: NUTRITION

I have evaluated the nutrition for this recipe to the best of my ability using the MyFitnessPal Recipe Analyzer.

If you cut the cheese cake into 12 portions, each portion should contain about 442 calories. However, if you cut it into 8 pieces, each portion will contain about 664 calories.

The topping will render about 50 calories per small slice (12 portions), or about 90 calories per large portion (8 slices per cake).