Skinny Chocolate Cheesecake

Greetings all my friends- Bonjour mes amis! 

recette en français ci-dessous

As many of you may know, I am trying to lose weight. So I am trying to adapt favourite recipes to be heathier.Here is my recipe for a healthier version of my favourite cheesecake, adapted from several sources, but mainly focusing on fromage blanc or yogurt to finally get this.

Skinny Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake

Crust:

• 1 TBS dark cocoa powder of good quality
• 200g of unsalted Melba toast (called Biscotte here in Algeria)
• 3 TBS canola oil
• 1/3 very finely chopped hazelnuts

Cremé:

• 500g reduced-fat Neufchâtel or cream cheese (I use La Vache Qui Rire Light)
• 250g of fromage blanc
• 2 TBS espresso powder (or any instant coffee like Nescafé)
• 2 TBS good quality cocoa
• 1/4 tsp hazelnut essence
•  TBS maizena (also called corn flour or corn starch)
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3 eggs room temp
• 3/4 - 1 cup sugar (depending on sweet you like it we prefer less sweet) I only use date sugar
• good pinch of salt

1. Position a rack in the center of your oven. Preheat the oven to 325F or 170C.
2. Remove the eggs from the fridge, so they get up to room temp while you make the crust.
3. Melt the butterin double boiler or microwave.
4. Crush your toast into a crumbs with a rolling pin or just mix everything in a robocoupe like I do.
5. Add the remaining ingredients.
6. Lightly grease your springform pan, then line with a circle of parchment on the bottom and a collar around the sides.
7. Press the cookie mixture into the pan.
8. I even use my mini rolling pin to get it very even.
9. Place in fridge to cool.
10. Disolve half of the espresso powder in 1 TBS hot water; set the other aside.
11. Cream the eggs, sugar with the cream cheese.
12. Scrap down the bowl several times so there is no lumps.
13. And slowly add in the remaining ingredients. No need to add one egg at a time, I tried this and it made no difference I think.
14. Pour the batter into the springform pan.
15. Tap against the countertop to get out the air bubbles.
16. Bake on a sheet pan.
17. Check on after 45m, but usually for me takes about 55m - but this depends on your oven.

 Optional decorate with Toberlone chocolates or other chocolate pieces, ganache or white chocolate as I have done.

trick-

- To make this diet friendly, I use fromage blanc which is a low fat cheese but also Fromage régime here in Algeria. Outside Algeria use a greek yoghurt, ricotta or low fat cream cheese Neutafel but not no fat since it is not that much lower in calories but it lacks flavour.

- If you use regular yoghurt, use 3 cups then strain in cheesecloth for a few hours.

- You can also make this healthier, by using date sugar like I do, agave nectar, Splenda or Rappadoura.

- You can also make it crustless, even less caloric.

- You can use egg whites instead of whole eggs. I am not for using fake products like Egg beaters so I will not recommend this.

- You can use Special K flakes or Bran flakes instead of the Melba toast (unsalted kind)or even tea or digestive biscuits if you like.

 I made a quick calorie calcualtion and this is about 175calories per slice with one cheesecake having 16 slices. Comparing to traditional cheesecake having around 700 calories per slice.

I will be having guests over this week - so with the theme of cheesecake I will make cheesecake with figs.