We recently celebrated a few special birthdays in the family this past holiday. The request came in for a classic cheesecake recipe. I did a lot of homework and came up this this recipe. I added quite a few of healthy alternatives such as switching out the full fat cream cheese to to the Neufchatel reduced fat cream cheese (no one ever will know!!) I also incorporated more protein by swapping some of the sour cream (which I did use fat free) to fat free greek plain yogurt ( any kind will work but the recipe revealed below   was made with the costco’s brand).

Classic Cheesecake Remake

 

 

 

 

Serves 10 to 12 people (use a 9 inch spring-form cake pan)

 

Crust Ingredients:

1 & 1/4 Cup of reduced fat graham cracker crumbs  (about 2 packages plus 2 sheets)

1/3 cup of sugar

5 TB of butter (melted)

Directions for crust :

Place the first 2 ingredients in a food processor and pulse until mixture looks like sand consistency. Once mixture is ground, add melted butter. Pour mixture into 9 inch spring-form cake pan. Using your fingers press graham cracker mixture along the bottom and sides of the springform pan (only go up to 1/4 to 1/2 way up the side). Set aside.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

 

 

 

Filling Ingredients:

3 eggs (farm fresh or eggland’s best are my top tow choices)  (*special note you can also use 2 egg whites to replace one whole egg)

16 oz  (2 packages of 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese aka “Neufchatel” (room temp)

1 Cup of sugar

½ teaspoon of Mexican Vanilla (penzey’s is my favorite)

 

Directions for filling:

Softened cream with paddle mixture <(check out mine above)..  it has a built in spatula <(look for beater blade) and you never have to scrape down the sides )>, add one egg at a time. Once combined,   add sugar and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Pour into prepared crust. Please note make sure to wrap foil around the bottom we don’t want any water leaking into the pan).

Place the foil wrapped springform pan in a baking pan with side and do not fill with water until placed in the oven (see picture above).  Bake for 55 minutes in a water bath. Let cool for 10 minutes. Add topping below.

Topping Ingredients:

½ cup sugar

½ cup fat free sour cream

½ fat free greek plain yogurt

½ teaspoon of Mexican vanilla

 

Direction for topping

Combine ingredients and put on top of cake: return to oven for 10 minutes.

 

 

Once cake has cooled and right before serving add your favorite fresh fruit or topping of choice.