STS Cookin’: Raspberry Cheesecake

Once again it is time for another STS Cookin’ article. This week we are going back to desserts for something that will satisfy the more health conscious folks at your tailgate while still tasting fantastic; Raspberry Cheesecake.

This recipe comes from the dessert blog Sally’s Baking Addiction. I’ve made a few things from the site and they were all fantastic. If you’re a baker and need some new recipes, check the site out.

One thing for this one, and generally anything baking related, know the true temperature of your oven. Most ovens run hot or cold and it hurts baking. Get an oven thermometer so you know what the temp is.

Also all ingredient amounts are listed for a 8x8 baking pan. If you double the amount of each ingredient you can fit everything into a 9x13 baking pan. Just up the baking time to around 40-45 minutes.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (usually 5-6 graham crackers)

2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

8 oz, Cream Cheese (regular or light only, no fat free), softened to room temp

3/4 cup Greek Yogurt, regular or fat-free. Use either plain or vanilla

2 Egg Whites

1/4 cup Granulated Sugar

2 Tbsp all-purpose Flour

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/4 cup Raspberry Jam

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 and either spray an 8x8 baking dish with nonstick spray or line it with foil or parchment paper.
• Break up the graham crackers in a food processor or Ziploc bag. Melt the butter and then combine the two together.

• Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the pan. It will still easily move around. Place in the oven and cook for 8 minutes and remove.

• Beat the cream cheese in a mixer until creamy smooth, nearly 1 minute. Reduce speed and add the yogurt, beating until smooth.
• Beat in the egg whites one at a time until combined.

• Add the sugar, flour, and lemon juice and beat until combined. Beware of overbeating the mixture.
• Pour the filling into the crust and level. Then swirl the raspberry jam on top. Pour the jam into spots on the filling and then swirl with a toothpick.

• Bake for 25 minutes, cover with foil at the 20 minute mark to prevent browning. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before moving into the fridge. Leave the bars in the fridge for several hours, or even overnight. This will let the bars set and make it easier to remove and cut them.