Tropical New York Style Cheesecake

This a gluten-free cheesecake with a macaroon/meringue type crust. The filling is thick and creamy but not too sweet. Serve topped with fluffy vanilla frosting and fresh fruit or pie filling. Honey can be used in replace of the juice if needed.

• Ready In: 1 hr 37 mins
• Serves: 14
• Yields: 1 cheesecake

Ingredients

• Macaroon Crust (plus cookies)

• 4  egg whites
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  almond extract
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 1⁄4 cups  organic whole sugar
• 1⁄4 cup  tropical traditions  coconut flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1⁄2 cups  flaked unsweetened  dried coconut

• Cheesecake filling

• 5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1  cup  organic whole sugar
• 3  tablespoons  tropical traditions  coconut flour
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  tablespoon  pineapple  frozen juice concentrate, thawed
• 1  cup sour cream
• 4  eggs

Directions

1. Crust: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Grease spring-form pan with coconut oil and dust with additional coconut flour or line with wax paper or parchment.
3. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites, vanilla extract, almond extract, and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar and whip until stiff.
4. Toss together coconut flour, salt, and coconut in a separate bowl; fold into egg whites. Use only enough to make a 1/2 inch crust in the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring-form pan for cheesecake and make cookies (by heaping tablespoons) with the rest.
5. Bake 12-20 minutes, or until lightly browned. (Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet before removing.) Makes enough for 1 crust and 20 cookies.
6. Filling: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Beat cream cheese, sugar, coconut flour and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
7. Add pineapple juice concentrate and sour cream; mix well.
8. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.
9. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until center is almost set.
10. Carefully run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
11. Top with fresh sliced strawberries and vanilla frosting or cherry or blueberry pie filling. Store in the refrigerator.