Sesame Cheesecake with Plum Coulis

Do you believe in serendipity? True ‘eureka!’ moments? Sometimes an accidental kitchen ‘aha!’ can lead to delicious results. This Toasted Sesame Cheesecake with Plum Coulis is the product of a chance flavor combination that turned into one of the best desserts ever to come out of my kitchen!

The Backstory…

Like many parents over the past year, I’ve been churning out daily lunches for my 3 kids. Last summer I started out strong: homemade grilled cheese sandwiches, veggie-filled quesadillas, and make-your-own mini pizzas. Everything was all fun & games until the last week of August, when other life events kicked back into gear, and spare time (& patience) for lunches fell by the wayside. Gone were the days of creative meals with inventive ways to sneak in vegetables. I found myself embracing all the quick & easy recipes as much as possible!

A Happy & Flavorful Accident…

One afternoon, I was slinging out a lunch of loaded Montreal-style sesame bagels, with a side of sliced plums. The boys chowed down hungrily, while I snuck an errant slice of plum from the cutting board… the underside of which had become encrusted with toasted sesame seeds from the bagel.

Holy Smokes! The toasted sesame seeds were a perfect partner to the sweet juicy plum! I realize this sounds strange, but adding a touch of cream cheese to a slice of sesame-plum gave me the idea for the perfect cheesecake, in one bite! A gorgeous sesame cheesecake was born out of that happy accident!

A Gluten-Free & Keto Friendly Sesame Cheesecake Idea

To take this classic dessert up a notch, I decided to make this cheesecake gluten free & keto diet friendly. I restrict my grain intake because of sensitivities, but I just can’t give up cheesecake! The world of Keto and wheat free desserts is just blossoming, so why not add this sesame cheesecake dessert to the mix! This is creamiest keto diet cheesecake recipe I’ve ever had, and it’s a dream to bake!

The key is the gluten-free sesame-cookie crust. Made with just a handful of simple ingredients, this low carb keto cheesecake crust recipe is buttery, toasty and sweet! I blind bake it first to create a sturdy base for my cheesecake batter, and the combination of crunchy and creamy is stunning!

Wait, so This is a Completely Grain-Free Dessert Recipe?

Absolutely!! This is my favorite (and completely gluten free) sesame cheesecake recipe! I toast some sesame seeds in the oven and then grind them in an old coffee grinder. Then, fresh sesame ‘flour’ is added to a cup of almond meal, melted butter, ground cinnamon and a little salt, forming a delicious sesame-cookie base. In the meantime, my stand mixer gets busy whipping up a cream cheese based cheesecake filling with a touch of tahini & vanilla, all baked in an easy water bath in the oven. The cheesecake flavor is warm and inviting from the sesame, and the velvety cheesecake batter bakes up to perfection with the help of the steam from the water bath.

A fresh and simple topping of black plum coulis is made with just three ingredients; plums, sugar and a wee bit of lemon. Strained and cooled, this sauce is a sweet & tart counterpoint to the creamy & slight nuttiness of the cheesecake.

Could I use Black Sesame Seeds to Make a Black Sesame Cheesecake Recipe?

Yes! You can totally substitute black sesame seeds for the regular sesame seeds! The flavor will be similar in the toasted sesame cookie crust. Bonus; the black sesame cheesecake crust color contrast is just amazing against the creamy white tahini cheesecake batter! Just follow the directions as written, and you can bake up a delicious black sesame cheesecake for your family!

A Sugar Free Cheesecake That your Family will Love!

In addition to being gluten free, I’ve included a keto friendly version as well, for my carb counting friends. The substitution of granulated monk fruit (such as Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener at a 1:1 ratio) doesn’t change the flavor or texture. A win/win for my ketogenic and diabetic-diet followers! Please see the note at the bottom of the post for details on how to bake with granulated monk fruit.

What is Monk Fruit?

Monk fruit is an amazing sugar alternative for diabetics, low carb dieters, and Keto diet followers. Made from a Chinese gourd, monk fruit sweetener can be found in both liquid and granulated forms. Rated at a zero on the glycemic index, it’s a fantastic option for those on special diets! When it’s mixed into a granulated version it becomes a terrific natural substitute for baked goods, and even better, monk fruit sweetener doesn’t have any of the bitter back notes that many alternative sugars feature. You can often find monk fruit online or even in natural food stores. I’ve used it in this sesame cheesecake recipe for all of my keto friends, and it’s just delicious!

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I am in love with this cheesecake! It’s the perfect elegant dessert idea for Easter, Mother’s Day, or even a Ladies’ Tea! Garnish with a few ripe berries or some pretty flowers, and you have a slice of pure heaven on a plate!

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Toasted Sesame Cheesecake with Black Plum Coulis

makes one 9-inch diameter cheesecake (serves 12).

for the crust

1/3 cup sesame seeds
1 cup finely ground almond meal
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

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For the Crust

Prepare your 9 inch springform pan with a circle of parchment paper on the bottom.

*Reserve a large skillet, shallow-sided pot, or deep casserole dish that your springform pan can “nestle” into, for baking. This is a very important part of the baking process, and allows a slow, even heating. I use a 12-inch cast iron skillet for this purpose, but any large ovenproof vessel that will hold the springform pan will work.*

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Using a small cookie sheet, pour the sesame seeds and spread into an even layer.

Place the pan into the preheated oven and toast for 5-6 minutes, or until golden brown. Be very careful not to burn them.

Once toasted, place the cookie sheet on a rack and let cool to room temperature. Keep your oven on.

After cooling, grind the sesame seeds in a coffee grinder, or using a mortar & pestle. The grind doesn’t have to be too fine; there can be some whole sesame seeds left.

Melt the butter in the microwave, or in a small skillet on the stove. Let cool slightly.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the ground sesame seeds, almond meal flour, salt, and cinnamon. Gently mix to combine. Add the melted butter and, using your fingertips, combine into a sandy crust. The butter should be mixed throughout, and if squeezed, the mixture should form into a loose dough.

Dump the crust mix into your prepared springform pan and spread out, pressing and covering the whole bottom of the pan. Try to evenly spread and press the mixture.

Place the pan into your still-hot oven, and allow to bake for 10-12 minutes. The crust should be slightly golden when ready. After baking, let cool completely on a wire rack.

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For the Cheesecake Batter

32 ounces (or four blocks) full fat cream cheese, at room temperature
4 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar*
1 tablespoon tahini (sesame paste)
1 teaspoon fine vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

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Preheat your oven to 325F.

Set 3 cups of water to boil in a medium saucepan.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment (or using a large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer and a good strong arm!), beat the cream cheese until slightly fluffy. It should still look creamy.

Next, on medium-low speed, add the sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat to combine.

On low speed, add each egg individually, and beat until incorporated. Next, add the tahini paste. Mix until combined.

NOTE: It is VERY important to note that you do not over-mix the filling. Over-mixing incorporates too much air, and the trapped air will cause your cheesecake to rise and bow upwards during cooking, but when cooling, the air will escape and the cake will have a pronounced dip in the center, and be more prone to cracking. It will still taste good, though!

Before pouring your batter into the crust, prepare the springform pan and baking vessel.

– Taking four large sheets of foil, you must construct a protective liner for your cheesecake as it bakes in it’s water bath. Using two sheets of the foil, and fold the horizontal edges together to make one large sheet. Crunch the seam to make it ‘seal’. Do the same with the next two sheets.

– Now that your four sheets of foil have been made into two larger sheets, place them on top of each other, with one seam should horizontal and one vertical. We are trying to prevent any of the water from leaking into the cake!

– Place your springform pan into the middle of the foil and scrunch & fold around the pan. Keep the top of the foil from touching the top lip of the pan.

– Next, place the pan into your larger baking vessel and ‘nest’ the pan in. Make sure there is room around the pan for the water bath.

Now, pour your cheesecake filling into the prepared crust, and lightly smooth the top out with a rubber spatula or small offset palette knife.

Next, we will create the water bath for baking. Very very carefully, using a ladle or pouring directly if you are brave, pour the boiling water into the *larger cooking vessel*, surrounding the springform pan. Pour until halfway up the side of the springform pan. Don’t spill any water into the cheesecake itself.

After creating the water bath, carefully transfer the whole vessel to the oven and bake on the middle rack for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until set, turning the cheesecake around midway through baking. The center should be just set and slightly wiggly when done.

Set two wire racks on your counter, one of them with a dish towel underneath.

Retrieve your baked cheesecake and carefully place on the rack without the dish towel. Using oven gloves, very gently lift the foil wrapped springform pan and place on the other rack. Still wearing the gloves, carefully peel the foil away. There will be some hot, hot HOT water within the foil, so watch out!

Move the larger vessel to the side, and place the now unfolded cheesecake on the rack to cool to room temperature. I like to let the cheesecake sit in the fridge for last least 6 hours (or even better, overnight) before serving. Just cover with plastic wrap and set in the fridge.

To un-mold, gently run a sharp knife around the edge of the cheesecake, and then unsnap the springform. The parchment paper we placed at the bottom of the cake will let you transfer to a cake plate easily. But, cheesecake is fragile, so please be careful!

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For the Plum Coulis

3 large black plums, washed & dried
1/2 cup granulated sugar*
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

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After washing and drying your fruit, cut the plum from the pit. Cube roughly. Add to a medium sauce pan.

Next, add the sugar and lemon juice to the pan and set on medium heat. Stir occasionally. The plums will release their juices and melt slightly. Once at a boil, let cook for about 10 minutes, or until soft and jammy.

Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Next, taking a potato masher, mash the fruit to release even more juices.

Set a medium sized bowl with a fine mesh sieve on top. Carefully pour the plum jam into the sieve and using a rubber spatula, mash the fruit mix through the sieve. You want to get as much of the pulverized fruit and juices out as you can.

Discard (or eat – the leftover plum bits are tasty on yogurt!) the fruit in the sieve, and allow the sauce in the bowl to come to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour.

Keto Diet Note

Replace the sugar in each component with granulated monk fruit, using a 1:1 ratio.

Also, when making the crust: dissolve the monk fruit into the hot butter before adding into the sesame and almond meal mix: The granules don’t melt in the same fashion as regular sugar when using in the dry mix. But they do incorporate beautifully if added to the heated butter and allowed to dissolve first. This isn’t an issue in the cheesecake filling itself, because there is plenty of moisture available, and it is cooked gently for a long period of time.

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