I’m a terrible pie baker. There, I said it. It always disappoints me. There is nothing quite like a wheat flour pastry, which has all the gluten beasties that you need for binding and baking.

But.

This is a good keto pie pastry. I was not sure what I was going to do with it, chickened out making a strawberry pie, and turned it into a cheesecake instead! A friend is coming to visit, I do hope she likes vanilla lemon cheesecake.

Here is the pastry recipe … if I can make it and it’s never failed … you can too. It’s delicious as well. (The cheesecake filling is lower down.)

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups cups almond flour (I used 1 cup hazelnut, 1 1/2 cup almond)
• 1/2 cup powdered keto sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground flax, optional
• 1 whole large egg
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 tablespoons vanilla essence

Mix the dry ingredients, stirring with a whisk to take out lumps.

Melt butter, stir in the vanilla essence.

Add the egg to to the dry ingredients, drizzle in the melted butter and vanilla mix. Stir until it forms a ball of dough.

Press into a well buttered pie dish and pre-bake 12 – 15 minutes or until just turning golden.

Add your pie filling and bake again as necessary.

My Cheesecake filling:

• 3 packets Philly cream cheese
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup keto sugar
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest

Beat together until very well blended, pour into pre-baked pastry shell, and bake at 325F for 45 to 50 minutes, until baked and no jiggle. Turn the oven off and leave in oven until oven is cooled off. Take cheesecake out, cool, chill and serve with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.

Farmers market bounty!