Happy Canada Day!! Well, nearly. Canada Day is quickly approaching (July 1st, for all of those that are not fortunate enough to be Canadian), so The Canadian Cookies, a group of food bloggers from across Canada that met during last year’s Real Women of Philadelphia contest, thought that we would bring you all some Canadian inspired dishes this weekend. Now mind you, there is no maple syrup or poutine involved with this dish. I decided to use Bing Cherries, which have to be the best fruit to come out of British Columbia, for the inspiration for my dessert.
These Gluten-free Bing Cherry Cheesecake Parfaits are like a no-bake cheesecake blended with a wonderful homemade Bing Cherry sauce. Since there is no crust, it is a naturally gluten-free dessert that is served in individual dessert cups. You ‘could’ use a store-bought pie filling in place of the sauce, but I can guarantee that it won’t taste as good as homemade. 😉
Gluten-free Bing Cherry Cheesecake Parfaits
These Gluten-free Bing Cherry Cheesecake Parfaits are like a no-bake cheesecake blended with a wonderful homemade Bing Cherry sauce. Since there is no crust, it is a naturally gluten-free dessert that is served in individual dessert cups. You ‘could’ use a store-bought pie filling in place of the sauce, but I can guarantee that it won’t taste as good as homemade.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 cups Bing Cherries, pitted
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (omit for nut-free option)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup confectioners' (icing) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and cornstarch. Stir to blend, and add the water and lemon juice. Bring to medium-high heat and add the pitted Bing Cherries. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce comes to a boil. Reduce heat and continue cooking until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat, stir in almond extract, and allow to cool completely. (Note: The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for one day before using.)
- In a deep mixing bowl, beat the whipping cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the lemon juice and Bing Cherry sauce, and continue beating until uniform in colour. This will break up the cherries as well.
- Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, reserving 3/4 cup for garnishing the parfaits. Spoon into dessert glasses and refrigerate for at least one hour. These can be prepared up to a day before serving. Garnish with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and additional Bing Cherries, if desired.
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katie says
They look fabulous. I’m never keen on the crust of cheesecakes so these are perfect! Gorgeous colour too
Jeanine says
Thanks, Katie! The crust really isn’t THE favorite part of a cheesecake, is it? 🙂
Kathy says
I’ve read thru the instructions a few times. Did I miss where the almond extract goes? Looks really good!
Jeanine says
Oops! Sorry about that, I’ll add it. It goes into the cherry sauce. 🙂
Margaret A. Massey says
Groan. Just me and serves 6. Please come company.
Jeanine says
Oh, Margaret, it won’t be hard to convince people to visit if you tell them you’re serving dessert! 😉
gluten free gift says
Happy Canada Day to you! These look gorgeous… and skipping the step of making a crust (less calories on crust means I can have a bigger serving size of the good part right?)… makes this recipe all the more appealing. Love your work 🙂
Jeanine says
Thank you very much! 🙂
Ali the Skinny GF Chef says
Yum! How did you know that I was craving a parfait? I was watching Unique Sweets last night and drooling over a parfait from Michy’s in Miami. I think I’ll try this with my vanilla stevia and local honey. Thanks Jeanine!
Jeanine Friesen says
Oh, that sounds good, Ali! Let me know how the substitutions work for you!