Cranberry-Speckled White Chocolate Cheesecake

Description

Source: Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2004 - Cooking Light Magazine

Making yogurt cheese is effortless but slow. Purchase a yogurt with no added starch, gelatin, or gums. Also, make sure it's not labeled "extra creamy", We used Dannon.

Ingredients

• 1 (32-ounce) container plain fat-free yogurt
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 9 cookie sheets)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 (3.5-ounce) bar premium white chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fat-free milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
• 1 (8-ounce) carton reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 large eggs

Directions

1. To prepare yogurt cheese, place a colander in a medium bowl.
2. Line colander with 2 layers of cheesecloth, allowing cheesecloth to extend over outside edge.
3. Spoon yogurt into colander.
4. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; refrigerate 12 hours.
5. Spoon yogurt cheese into a bowl; discard liquid.
6. Cover and refrigerate.
7. Preheat oven to 350°.
8. To prepare crust, combine cracker crumbs and butter, tossing with a fork until moist.
9. Press into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray.
10. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes; cool on a wire rack.
11. Reduce oven temperature to 300°.
12. To prepare cranberry jam, combine cranberries and next 3 ingredients in a medium heavy saucepan.
13. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
14. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes or until cranberries are soft.
15. Remove from heat; cool slightly.
16. Place cranberry mixture in a food processor; process 2 minutes or until almost smooth.
17. Set aside.
18. To prepare filling, place chocolate and milk in top of a double boiler.
19. Cook over simmering water 5 minutes or until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth, stirring constantly.
20. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
21. Set aside.
22. Place yogurt cheese, 1 cup sugar, and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at low speed 1 minute.
23. Beat at medium-high speed 2 minutes or until smooth, scraping bowl occasionally.
24. Beat in chocolate mixture.
25. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
26. Scrape bowl; beat 30 seconds.
27. Fold in cranberry jam.
28. Pour over crust, and smooth top.
29. Loosely cover with aluminum foil.
30. Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
31. Turn oven off, remove foil.
32. Cool cheesecake in closed oven 1 hour and 15 minutes.
33. Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife around outside edge.
34. Cool to room temperature.
35. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)