Description
This Rhubarb Cheesecake Crumble Dessert has a layer of baked cheesecake, a layer of tart rhubarb jam, and lots of great texture! The crust reminds me of the base to a strawberry pretzel dessert.
THM S, low carb, sugar free
Ingredients
CRUST/TOPPING:
- 1 ¼ cups (135g) pecan meal*
- ½ cup quick oats
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon oat fiber
- 4 tablespoons salted butter (melted)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 2 teaspoons THM Super Sweet Blend
- 2 teaspoons molasses
CHEESECAKE FILLING:
- 8 ounces reduced fat cream cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons THM Super Sweet Blend
- Dash of vanilla extract
RHUBARB JAM:
- 3 cups (360g) chopped rhubarb
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon THM Super Sweet Blend
- 5 drops red food coloring (optional)
Instructions
*To make the pecan meal, grind pecan halves to a coarse meal texture in a coffee grinder (you could also use a food processor or mini chopper). Measure after grinding. It’s important to use freshly ground pecan meal because the oils released from the nuts help bind the crust together. If you don’t have pecans you could try using another soft nut like walnuts.
- CRUST/TOPPING: Combine the crust/topping ingredients in a bowl with a fork (don’t laugh, but meat forks work great) or hand mixer. Set aside 1 cup of the mixture for the topping later. Press the remainder into a greased 8”x8” pan and bake at 350*F for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool a bit.
- CHEESECAKE FILLING: Beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat again until smooth. Set aside.
- RHUBARB JAM: Add the rhubarb, water, and salt to a saucepan. Sprinkle the xanthan gum evenly over the rhubarb in a fine layer to prevent clumps. Cook (covered) over medium heat until the rhubarb is soft and jammy, stirring occasionally with a potato masher or whisk to break up the rhubarb. The rhubarb will disintegrate if it gets completely soft, which is fine, but if you want some rhubarb chunks pull the mixture off the heat when the rhubarb is still al dente OR add some extra chopped rhubarb when the original rhubarb is soft and jam-like and cook for just a few minutes to take the crunch off. Pull the pan off the heat and whisk in the sweetener and food coloring if you want a pretty red color. Let the mixture cool so it’s warm, not hot, before assembling the dessert.
- ASSEMBLY: When all the elements are warm instead of piping hot, assemble the dessert. Spread the cheesecake filling gently over the prebaked crust. Use a spoon to distribute dollops of jam over the cream cheese layer, then gently use an offset frosting spreader to smooth it out. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the jam layer; don’t press it down.
- Bake for 25 minutes at 350*F. Chill completely before serving.
- This is the kind of dessert you eat with a spoon because the crumbs are kind of, well, crumbly. It does hold together better after a day or two in the fridge. Either way it tastes great.
Notes
You could use some raspberries or sliced strawberries in place of (or in addition to) some of the rhubarb if you like.
Quick oats: I prefer quick oats to old fashioned oats in this recipe. Quick oats used to be considered off plan for Trim Healthy Mamas, but the stance on that changed in 2015 (as long as you have protein in your meal to help blunt a blood sugar spike). Oats are a carb source and are usually kept to E recipes, but this is a small amount spread over 9 servings. If you prefer you could try using unsweetened coconut flakes in place of the quick oats, but the dessert may be even more crumbly.
Oat fiber: This versatile low carb flour can usually only be found online. Not all brands are created equal, but I like LifeSource oat fiber. Use gluten free oat fiber for a gluten free option. Oat fiber and oat flour are different and are not interchangeable.
Sweetener: Feel free to use your favorite low glycemic sweetener to taste in place of the THM Super Sweet Blend. Many people like more sweetener than I do, so adjust to taste to make sure you get a result you like.
Molasses: This is allowed on the Trim Healthy Mama plan in small amounts (1/4 teaspoon per serving) for flavor. I like Grandma’s brand molasses from Walmart or a local grocery store. Blackstrap molasses is recommended I believe, but the nutrition info isn’t that different from Grandma’s and I don’t like the taste nearly as well. Molasses IS technically a sweetener, but it’s not refined sugar and is only used in a small amount for flavor so I’m still calling this recipe sugar free. 😉
Rhubarb: Thin stems of rhubarb are best. Split large stems down the center before chopping. Discard any woody stems. I like to chop it about one quarter to one half inch. Frozen rhubarb should work if you don’t have fresh. Thaw and drain before measuring and proceeding with the recipe.
Allergy info: Gluten free (use gluten free oats and gluten free oat fiber and make sure other ingredients are not contaminated).
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 43 mins
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Bake + Cook
- Cuisine: THM S, low carb, sugar free, gluten free
