Aqpik, bakeapple, cloudberry: Whatever you call it, this cheesecake is a special dessert

You might know them as aqpiks. 

Or, perhaps in your part of the world they are called bakeapples.

Maybe you know them as cloudberries.

Whatever you call them, they are delicious and special. Just ask Gayle Gruben.

She lives in Winnipeg now, but spent many years picking the unique berries back home in Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T..

"The aqpiks are definitely special for sure in Inuvialuit culture... only eaten on special occasions, such as Christmas, New Year's, weddings and feasts," she said in an interview with CBC on Facebook Messenger.

Aqpik berries aren't that easy to find; you have to look at the right time of year and be in the right place.

They are treasures, often found on tundra and peat bog. Gruben says they are bitter, sweet and have lots of seeds.

"It is definitely the time for berry picking," she said. "When I do go out picking berries it is a time for me to not think about anything, just enjoy the quiet."

She says it's also a great time to just take in the sights, smells and sounds of the land.

Gruben says there are none to be found near Winnipeg. The berries she has been using lately come all the way from Labrador; a gift from last year.

And one of her favourite treats is aqpik cheesecake. She says it's delicious and tastes like a creamsicle.

It's a simple recipe that she shared on CBC North's Facebook group, The Arctic Kitchen.

"I'd love to try that," said one commenter.

"I could eat that entire pie," said another.

"Fantastically yummy," someone else said.

But perhaps for Gruben, the best part of this cheesecake wasn't how it tasted, or all the praise she got on Facebook.

Just getting to cook with aqpik berries is special enough.

"It does give me a taste of home, and definitely brings good memories of going on the land and being in the peace and quiet."

• You can find more Arctic Kitchen recipes here