Featured Recipe
Lower Fat Cheesecake with Almond Crust
By Kate
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A lower fat cheesecake with a crisp almond crust and a tangy Greek yogurt-ricotta filling. Uses less sugar and replaces graham crumbs with almond meal for texture and flavor. Baked in a warm water bath for even cooking and creamy texture. Ideal for light dessert without losing richness. White ricotta replaces some cream cheese to reduce fat and add creaminess. Vanilla and citrus zest lift the profile. Cooling and resting times ensure a crack-free, smooth surface. Nutty almond crust offers contrast. Perfect when paired with fresh berry sauce or a drizzle of honey.
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Prep:
30 min
Cook:
Total:
Serves:
12 to 16 servings
cheesecake
dessert
lighter options
baking
healthy
Introduction
Layered textures, fats dialed down. Almond crust brings toasty snap versus soggy crumbs. Draining dairy is tedious but key—stop excess moisture stealing structure. Baking stalled? Water bath halts dry edges and heat spikes. Patience after bake, cooling slowly, not rushing fridge lock-in. This isn’t fluffy souffle, it’s firm but creamy. Poke edge with knife to loosen before unmolding; clean release saves pan gimmes and breaks. Egg overmix and you get cracks. Undermix, lumps. Watching jiggle center = doneness. Notes lemon zing cuts richness; vanilla rounds edges. Real kitchen focus: texture, timing, tempering. Watch heats, moisture. Cheese blends for weight cut but cream up mouthfeel. Almonds sub in crumbs adding heft and earthy note. Take temps, trust cues, not just clock.
Ingredients
Crust
- 240 ml (1 cup) almond meal, finely ground
- 20 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) light brown sugar
- 40 ml (2 2/3 tbsp) melted unsalted butter
- Aluminum foil sheet about 46 cm (18 in) wide
- 400 g (14 oz) part-skim ricotta cheese
- 300 ml (1 1/4 cup) 1% cottage cheese, drained
- 180 ml (3/4 cup) Greek yogurt 0% fat
- 200 ml (7 fl oz) sugar
- 25 ml (1 2/3 tbsp) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 225 g (8 oz) light cream cheese, softened
- 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
Filling
About the ingredients
Almond meal isn’t just substitute; it changes crumb density and flavor, so expect firmer crust, better toasting aroma. Brown sugar replaces white sugar for richer notes within crust. Butter quantity slight reduced to prevent greasiness. Cottage cheese must be drained thoroughly — excess water turns filling loose, risking cracks and runniness. Ricotta carries smooth creaminess with less fat than full cream cheese alone. The eggs and flour act as binder — flour prevents cracking by stabilizing batter, eggs coagulate and set. Greek yogurt at 0% fat adds moisture and acidity to balance richness and lighten texture. Vanilla extract with lemon zest brightens overall flavor profile. Avoid over-sifting dry ingredients; careful incorporation prevents tough batter. Double foil wrapping guards from water bath steam leakage, must be done meticulously for consistent bake consistency.
Method
Preparation and Setup
- Position oven rack center. Preheat oven to 175 °C (350 °F). Prepare 20 cm (8 in) springform pan. Line base with parchment paper cut to fit snug. Dry thoroughly to avoid sogginess.
- Mix almond meal, brown sugar, and melted butter gently but thoroughly. You want a slightly crumbly texture that holds when pressed. Press mixture firmly into bottom of pan. Back in oven for about 10 minutes. Look for toasted aroma, light golden-brown edges. Remove and cool completely. Butter sides of pan well—this controls sticking, helps release later.
- Wrap pan base and sides tightly with double thickness aluminum foil extending above rim by a few centimeters—important for water bath protection, avoid steam leakage and soggy crust.
- Reduce oven temperature to 165 °C (325 °F).
- Drain cottage cheese well using fine mesh or cheesecloth. Press gently to remove excess moisture; too wet and batter will be thin, risk weeping during bake.
- In food processor or stand mixer, pulse sugar and flour to mix evenly. Add ricotta and cottage cheese; blend until almost smooth but with slight texture. Incorporate eggs one by one to prevent over-beating—over mixing traps air and causes cracks.
- Add softened cream cheese, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, and lemon zest last. Blend just until combined—no lumps but no excess aeration.
- Pour filling over cooled crust carefully; avoid dislodging crust.
- Place springform pan into larger baking dish or roasting pan. Fill outer pan with boiling water to reach halfway up cheesecake sides. Water bath moderates heat, ensures even cooking without drying or cracking. Use oven mitts; water and hot pan—handle carefully.
- Bake 1 hour 35 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. Surface should be mostly set with slight jiggle in center when gently shaken—not liquid but not firm. Internal temp about 63-65 °C (145-150 °F) if using probe.
- Turn off oven. Leave cheesecake inside oven with door slightly ajar for 20 minutes—prevents sudden temperature change that causes cracks.
- Remove from water bath, unwrap foil, transfer carefully to cooling rack. Cool at room temp for 1 hour to stabilize structure before refrigerating.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Chilling fully firms texture and deepens flavors.
- Release cheesecake sides gently with a thin knife before unlatching springform. Lift carefully by base if necessary. If crust sticks, warm blade slightly with hot water and run again.
- Serve plain or topped with fresh berries, warm berry coulis, or honey drizzle for contrast.
- Almond meal replaces traditional graham crumbs, adds nutty flavor and crunch dimension. Substitute with oat flour or crushed digestive biscuits if allergic or unavailable—crust texture will vary.
- Ricotta balances cream cheese for lighter fat content yet creamy texture. Plain 0% Greek yogurt gives tang and moisture without heaviness. Cottage cheese drains to maintain firmness—skip draining and expect softer, wetter texture.
- Avoid overmixing eggs to prevent cracks. Underbaking yields runny center; overbaking cracks. Watch jiggly center as doneness cue.
- Water bath essential—prevents dry edges, promotes even cooking. Double foil wrapping prevents leaks, steaming crust.
- Cool gradually. Cracks often form when rapid cooling or air drafts suddenly chill surface.
- If crust soggy, blind bake longer next time or reduce butter slightly. If filling dry or cracked, reduce baking time; test earlier starting around 1 hour 20 min.
- If no springform pan, use regular pan but line well with parchment, remove with care.
- Lemon zest brightens richness; swap for orange zest or almond extract for twist.
Crust
Filling
Baking in Water Bath
Tips and Variations
Technique Tips
Start with proper oven setup; middle rack ensures even heat. Prebake crust until toasty smell fills air and edges visibly golden—don’t skip or crust becomes mushy underneath. Cooling crust before adding filling prevents breaking or soggy bottom. Drain cottage cheese well; improper draining is common cause of runny filling. Blend sugar-flour first for uniform distribution, important to prevent clumps. Add eggs slowly to avoid whipping extra air; over-aeration leads to cracks and dome tops. Using water bath is key for moisture and gentle cooking directly affecting texture. Monitor baking closely last 20 minutes for jiggle—not qv wet but slack center. Don’t open oven often, but peek at steam condensation in outer water bath. Gradual cooldown crucial, sudden temperature changes crack surfaces; resting in turned-off oven tempers gently. Refrigerate fully chilled—very firm, easy to slice clean. Release by running knife all around edge to detach. Serve with fresh or poached berries, or tart coulis to contrast mellow tang. Can store covered up to three days but consume chilled for clean texture. No cracks? You nailed the timing and mixing.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Almond meal is firmer than graham and lends a toasted flavor. Watch baking time closely. Don’t skip chilling, firming crucial for clean slices. Drain cottage cheese until no water left, excess moisture is not your friend.
- 💡 For a crisp crust, press hard. A loose mix yields sogginess. Use double foil for the water bath; steam might ruin texture. Avoid overmixing butter and sugar; chunky increases crunch, smooth might end rubbery.
- 💡 Egg incorporation phased. One at a time keeps air out, too much air means cracks on the surface. Use a probe for precise baking, 63-65 C ensures soft but set center.
- 💡 To help slicing, run a warm knife around the edge before releasing. If base sticks, slightly warming blade with hot water breaks the bond. If filling is too runny, drain cheese more next time, or cut bake time.
- 💡 Zest gives brightness. Lemon works, but orange or almond extract changes profiles. Monitor oven closely; avoid opening until the last 20 minutes—steam affects baking. If crust browns before setting filling, shield with foil.
