Classic Cheesecake

Cheesecake is my husband's favorite dessert, which is lucky for me, because it is an easy sweet to make low carb. This is The Joy of Cooking's old-fashioned cheesecake with substitution of Swerve granulated for the sugar in the original recipe, and the addition of an almond flour crust. I made the cheesecake upon his request for hubby's birthday cake. The coulis was a last minute creation, and a bag of mixed berries is what I had in the freezer. The coulis would be equally good with whatever fresh or frozen berries you have on hand.

Classic Cheesecake with Triple Berry Coulis 
low carb, gluten free 

Crust
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup vanilla flavored sugar free whey protein powder
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling
3- 8 ounce packages cream cheese
1 cup Swerve
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs

Topping
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup Swerve
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Triple Berry Coulis
1 cup frozen mixed berries (blueberry, strawberry, raspberry), defrosted
2 tablespoons agave nectar (or other sweetener, to taste)



     Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine crust ingredients in a medium sized bowl, mix until combined. Press evenly into the bottom of a 10 inch springform cake pan. Don't try to build the crust up the sides of the pan, but do cover the seam. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Allow the crust to cool completely before making the filling.
     Have filling ingredients at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 300F. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until creamy. Gradually beat in Swerve and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl and beater between additions. Pour the filling into the prepared, cooled crust. Bake at 300F for 30 minutes, then shut off the oven. Allow the cheesecake to rest in the oven with the door cracked open (put the handle of a wooden spoon into the door) for an additional 30 minutes. Remove the cheesecake to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before making topping.
    Combine sour cream, Swerve, vanilla, and salt in a medium sized bowl. Spread over cake. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, before removing ring of pan and serving.
     Place the defrosted berries and agave nectar (or other sweetener) into a blender. Blend on high until liquified. Strain if desired. Serve cheesecake with a drizzle of coulis.