Maybe your choice of latitude isn't as hot and sultry as it could be. Get a taste of the tropics in your cheesecake, with a baked coconut flake crust and zesty lime filling.
Here's a recipe inspired by an idea from my good friend and baking colleague Dawn Woodward of Evelyn's Crackers. You start with brownies and then top them with a swirl of sweetened tahini that gives a delightful nutty depth of flavor and richness. Be sure to use untoasted sesame oil in the batter; the dark, toasted kind would be too strong.
Fresh berries in and on whipped, chilled cream cheese would have been enough. But no. We're upping the ante with a chocolate chip cookie crust. Pure heaven.
Sweetened fresh blueberries flavored with cinnamon and lemon juice and thickened with instant tapioca are baked together in this luscious double-crust pie.
