Daily Dose: Figure Friendly Cheesecake

My boyfriend and I made a birthday dinner for his father last night.  Since both his parents are watching their sugar intake (doctor's orders) I couldn't use one of my usual sugar-packed recipes.  This cheesecake recipe saved the day!  The first change that makes the dessert "healthy" is substituting Splenda for sugar.  Baking with Splenda is tricky; since it's sweeter than sugar you don't use as much which often means adjusting the other ingredients.  Baked goods with Splenda also tend to cook faster, so baking times need to be shortened.  The second change was to make the crust with almond flour instead of graham crackers.  Instead of a carb-loaded crust, you have a protein-loaded crust.  Healthy indeed!  Enjoy!

Figure Friendly Cheesecake

Almond Crust
(Modified from AllRecipes)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups almond flour (if you can't find almond flour, just grind up whole almonds in your blender)
2 heaping tablespoons Splenda baking blend
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional

Directions:

Combine almond flour, Splenda, butter, and cinnamon until well blended.  Divide evenly among cupcake tins, pressing firmly.  You're aiming for a 1/4 inch crust.  Bake at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes.  Cool.

Filling
(modified from AllRecipes) 

Ingredients:
2 packages cream cheese
1/2 cup Splenda
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth.

Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. 

Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crusts. 

Bake for 18-20 minutes.  To test if they are done, shake the pan gently.  The top will jiggle, but it won't be soupy. 


Figure Friendly Cheesecake

Almond Crust
(Modified from AllRecipes)  

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups almond flour (if you can't find almond flour, just grind up whole almonds in your blender)
2 heaping tablespoons Splenda baking blend
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional

Directions:
1. Combine almond flour, Splenda, butter, and cinnamon until well blended.
2. Divide evenly among cupcake tins, pressing firmly.  You're aiming for a 1/4 inch crust.  Bake at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes.  Cool.

Filling
(modified from AllRecipes)

Ingredients:
2 packages cream cheese
1/2 cup Splenda
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons flour

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth.
2. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. 
3. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crusts. 
4. Bake for 18-20 minutes.  To test if they are done, shake the pan gently.  The top will jiggle, but it won't be soupy.