How to make a perfect Amaretto Cheesecake

Hazelnut crust:
1 cup     roasted hazelnuts (350F for 10 minutes)
3         egg whites
2 tsp     vanilla
2 cup     powdered sugar
1/2 cup   sugar
1/8 tsp   salt

Amaretto Cream Cheese Filling:
1/2 cup    amaretto
3 tsp      unflavored gelatin
2 tsp      vanilla
1 1/2 lbs  cream cheese
3/4 cup    sugar
2 tbs      lemon juice
1 tsp      lemon zest
2 cups     cream

Instructions:

Hazelnut Macaroon:

Heat oven to 350.  Grease 10 inch springform pan and line with greased parchment (not waxed paper).  Line a cookie sheet with greased parchment.

Whisk together eggs and vanilla.

Remove as much skin from the hazelnuts as you can and process them with one cup of the powdered sugar for 30 seconds.  Add both sugars and process briefly to combine.  With processer running, pour in egg mixture and process for 15 seconds or until smooth.

Reserve 1/2 to 1/3 cup of the batter.

Pour remaining batter into the springform pan and smooth with spatula.  Pour reserved batter onto the cookie sheet and spread out into a 7-8  inch disk.

Bake crust 25-30 minutes; disk 20-25 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

Chop up the disk into 1/8 inch pieces and soak in 1/4 cup amaretto (but do not soak for more than 15 minutes).

Amaretto cheesecake filling:

Sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup amaretto, let stand 5 min.  Heat in sauce pan with hot (not boiling) water stirring for 4 min.  Leave in hot water to stay warm.

Beat cream cheese with mixer for 1 minute.  Add lemon juice and zest.  Beat cream to soft peaks.  Fold 1/3 cream into cream cheese.  Fold in remaining whipped cream and soaked macaroon bits.

Pour into prepared pan, cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate at least 3 hours or preferably overnight.

Here is a recipe for strawberry cheesecake. You can substitute strawberries for raspberries.

12 oz fat free cottage cheese
1/3 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
3 tbsp honey
3 egg yolks (or 1/2 cup no-cholesterol substitute)
4 egg whites
pinch of salt

Filling:

1 cup white grape juice
optional: low calorie sweetener or a few drops to taste
1 1/2 cups washed fresh blueberries
3/4 cup washed, hulled sliced fresh strawberries

Combine cheese, yogurt, honey and egg yolks (or substitute) in food processor or blender and process completely smooth. Combine egg whites and salt in an electric mixing bowl and beat stiff. Pour the cheese mixture into egg whites and gently but thoroughly fold together. Spoon mixture into a non-stick 9-inch round cake pan or springform pan that has been liberally sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool, then chill. Cake sinks in the middle to form a depression for fruit filling. Remove the cake from pan before filling.

To prepare filling: While the cheesecake is baking, simmer white grape juice in an uncovered saucepan until reduced by half. Remove from heat and allow to cool, add sweetener to taste. When the cake is cool, arrange blueberries in the center surrounded by a ring of sliced strawberries. Spoon the white grape glaze over the fruit. Refrigerate and chill thoroughly. Yields 9 servings about 110 calories each. You could substitute white Chardonnay or other white wine for part of the grape juice if so inclined.

Learn how to cook blueberry yogurt muffins

• 2 cups Quaker Oat Bran Hot cereal uncooked, 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder, 1 carton (8 ozs) plain low fat yogurt
• 2 egg whites slightly beaten, 1/4 cup skim milk, 1/4 cup honey
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tsp grated lemon peel, 1/2 cup blueberries

Yes, these muffins are flourless!

Preheat oven to 425oF, prepare pans. In large bowl, combine oat bran, sugar & b/pdr. In small bowl, combine yoghurt, egg whites, milk, honey, oil & lemon peel. Add dry mix to wet mix and stir until just combined. Fold in blueberries, if using frozen do NOT thaw & you may need to add a few mins baking time. Spoon into pans & bake 18-20 mins or until golden brown. Makes 12 muffins.