Lighter New York Style Cheesecake

Lighter New York Style Cheesecake Directions

• How to make yogurt cheese, if desired:
• Needed: 1 pint (2 cups) non fat or low-fat plain yogurt.
• Line a strainer with a coffee filter, cheesecloth, or paper towels and place over a bowl.
• Put the yogurt in the strainer and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight. The longer the yogurt drains, the thicker the “cheese” becomes. Draining overnight will give you a soft cream cheese-like consistency.
• Yogurt cheese should be stored in the refrigerator and will keep for about a week. One pint (2 cups) yogurt yields approximately 1 cup (8 ounces) yogurt cheese.
• To make crust:
• Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar together in a medium bowl.
• Transfer mixture to a 9” springform pan and press evenly into the pan bottom.
• Bake the crust until fragrant and beginning to brown, 8-10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack while preparing the filling.
• To make filling:
• Increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees. Line a medium bowl with a clean dishtowel or several layers of paper towels.
• Spoon the cottage cheese into the bowl and let drain for 30 minutes.
• Process the drained cottage cheese in a food processor until smooth and no visible lumps remain, about 1 minute, scraping down the work bowl once or twice.
• Add the cream cheese and yogurt cheese and process until smooth, 1-2 minutes, scraping down the work bowl once or twice.
• Add the salt, sugar substitute, lemon zest, and vanilla and continue to process until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down the work bowl once or twice.
• With the processor running, add the eggs, one at a time and process until smooth.
• Being careful not to disturb the baked crust, spray the sides of the springform pan with vegetable oil spray. Set the springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Pour the filling into the cooled crust and bake 10 minutes.
• Without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees and continue to bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the cheesecake reads 150 degrees, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
• (Baking time varies depending upon how slowly the oven temperature drops from 500 degrees to 200 degrees. Check after 1 hour.)
• Transfer the cake to a wire rack, and run a paring knife around the edge of the cake.
• Let cool until barely warm, 2 ½ to 3 hours, running a paring knife around the edge of the cake every hour or so.
• Wrap the pan tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight.
• To unmold the cheesecake, wrap a hot kitchen towel around the springform pan and let stand for 10 minutes.
• Remove the sides of the pan and blot any excess moisture from the top of the cheesecake with paper towels.
• Let the cheesecake stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges.