Cranberry Holiday Cheesecake

Cranberry Holiday Cheesecake

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 1 hourServes: 16

This recipe comes from “Healthy Meals In Minutes” card series (International Masters Publishers) and is a low-fat version of this festive favorite. Note: The prep time does not include the 30-minute standing time in oven or the 3-hour to overnight chill time.

  • Ingredients:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons margarine, melted
2 8-ounce packages reduced-fat cream cheese, softened and cut into pieces
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup lowfat sour cream Topping 1 12-ounce package frozen cranberries, thawed
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

  • Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with vegetable cooking spray. Wrap outside of pan with foil. In prepared pan, combine crumbs and margarine; press into bottom.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer set on high speed, beat together cream cheese, sugar, eggs, egg whites and orange peel until smooth. Beat in ricotta and sour cream until just blended. Do not overmix. Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake until just set, about 1 hour. Turn off oven. Let stand in oven for 30 minutes. Chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.

To prepare topping, in a medium saucepan over low heat, cook cranberries, sugar and water, stirring until thickened, about 10 minutes. Cool completely. Spoon topping over cheesecake.

Per serving: 286 cal.; 9 g pro.; 34 g carb.; 12 g fat (8 sat., 3 monounsat., 1 polyunsat.); 60 mg chol.; 282 mg sod.; 1 g fiber; 27 g sugar; 40 percent calories from fat.

Source: Sacramento Bee newspaper, 2001