Looking for a wintry holiday cheese recipe for dessert? Check out our Caramelized Pear and Blue Cheesecake, or try our elegant and easy Baked Camembert with Raspberry Jam in Homemade Pie Crust. Shop our online store to source American artisan cheeses for your festivities. 

Craving something sweet? Try this tasty, foolproof, gluten-free cheesecake filled with homemade mascarpone. I like my cheesecake light on sugar, especially when in-season fruit provides the sweetness you need. Use fresh strawberries if you can source them locally; otherwise, frozen berries will work for the sauce.

Cheesecake batter:

• 1/2 pound of cream cheese, softened
• 1 pound of mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons of honey
• 2 whole eggs

Strawberry sauce:

• 2 cups frozen strawberries
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 10 fresh strawberries, sliced

For the crust:

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 2 cups slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Parchment paper
• One 9-inch tart pan, or two 4-inch tart pans

Heat oven to 325º F.  In a food processor, pulse almonds until very finely ground. Add brown sugar,butter and a pinch of salt; pulse briefly to combine. Transfer to prepared pan and press firmly into bottom to form an even crust.

Using an electronic mixer with a paddle attachment beat the softened cream cheese with sugar, occasionally scraping the sides with a spatula. When smooth, add the honey and mascarpone cheese. Slowly mix to incorporate, again stopping occasionally to scrape the sides. It is important to not over mix the mascarpone. Add the eggs one at a time until they are incorporated. Scoop the batter into the tart pan(s), and place them into a larger baking dish. Fill the dish with water to reach half way up the ramekins, cover with aluminum foil and bake 35 minutes.

Remove the foil and continue to bake another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool before removing them from the baking dish. Refrigerate and serve cold.

In a small sauce pot place frozen strawberries, water, and sugar and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and gently simmer until the strawberries are soft. Remove from heat, place in a blender and puree until smooth. Set aside to cool. After mixture has cooled, add fresh strawberries.