One word...CHEESECAKE! Even better... Blueberry Cheesecake! Even better than that...its got half the fat as regular cheesecake! I found this gem in a Cooking Light cook book and it was love at first bite. Although I ended up with half of it all over my kitchen and it's a process to make (that may be putting it lightly), it's definitely worth a try. YOUR WELCOME!
- Crust:
- 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 5 cookie sheets)
- 2/3 cup reduced-fat vanilla wafer crumbs (about 20 cookies)
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- Filling:
- 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen wild blueberries, thawed
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 1/2 (8-ounce) blocks fat-free cream cheese, softened
- 1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 large eggs
- Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups fat-free sour cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sauce:
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup fresh or frozen, thawed, wild blueberries
Preparation
- 1. Preheat oven to 325°.
- 2. To prepare crust, combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Drizzle with butter; toss with a fork until moist. Firmly press mixture into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325° for 10 minutes; cool on a wire rack.
- 3. To prepare filling, combine 2 1/2 cups blueberries and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a food processor, and process until smooth. Place puree in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 6 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Cool slightly. Reserve 1/2 cup blueberry puree for sauce; set remaining 1 cup blueberry puree aside.
- 4. Place cheeses in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed for 3 minutes or until smooth. Combine 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and salt. Add sugar mixture to cheese mixture; beat well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour batter over prepared crust. Pour 1 cup blueberry puree over batter; gently swirl with a knife. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until cheesecake center barely moves when pan is touched. Remove cheesecake from oven (do not turn oven off); place cheesecake on a wire rack.
- 5. To prepare topping, combine sour cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl, stirring well. Spread sour cream mixture evenly over cheesecake. Bake at 325° for 10 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife around outside edge. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Remove sides of springform pan.
- 6. To prepare sauce, combine reserved 1/2 cup blueberry puree, 1/4 cup sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 8 minutes or until sauce is thick, stirring constantly. Gently fold in 1 cup blueberries. Remove from heat, and cool. Serve sauce with cheesecake.
