Cheese Cake with Blueberry Sauce

I usually bake this cake in the evening and refrigerate it overnight. It takes some extra time, but believe me, this cake is worth the effort!

Crust:
2 1/2 cups (625 mL) whole wheat bread crumbs
2 Tbsp (30 mL) soft butter
1 Tbsp (15 mL) Sucanat or Rapadura sugar

Filling:
2 8-ounce (250 g) packages cream cheese
2/3 cup (165 mL) Sucanat or Rapadura sugar
4 free-range eggs
1 lemon--juice and peel
2 tsp (10 mL) pure vanilla extract
500 mL (1 large container) sour cream

Blueberry Sauce:
5 cups (1.25 L) fresh blueberries
2 Tbsp (30 mL) honey
1 Tbsp (15 mL) arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1 Tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice

Knead all ingredients together. Line the bottom of a nine by 12 inch baking pan with mixture. Bake in preheated oven at 400 F (200 C) for three to five minutes. Let cool.

With a hand-mixer combine cream cheese, egg yolks, lemon juice and peel (make sure you completely wash the lemon before scraping off the peel) and vanilla extract. Beat egg whites until peaks form and fold into cake mixture. Pour mixture over crust and bake at 400 F (200 C) for 20 minutes. Cake should have a skin. Let cool for about 30 minutes.

Stir together sour cream, sugar and vanilla extract and spread over cooled cheese cake. Reduce oven temperature to 350 F (180 C) and bake for 10 more minutes. Let cool and refrigerate for 10 to 12 hours.

To serve, decorate with fresh berries or kiwi fruit. There is no limit to your imagination.

In a blender, pur?three cups (750 mL) of blueberries. Pour into sauce pan and add arrowroot powder or cornstarch. Cook on medium heat until sauce starts to thicken. Let cool and add remaining blueberries, honey and lemon juice. Taste for sweetness; add more honey if needed.

To serve, slice cheese cake and pour blueberry sauce over each piece.

Source: alive #214, August 2000