Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups (16 ounces) 2% cottage cheese
• 1 cup crushed chocolate wafers (20 cookies)
• 1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Dash salt
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 egg white
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Directions

• Line a strainer with four layers of cheesecloth or one coffee filter; place over a bowl. Place cottage cheese in strainer; cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Coat the bottom and sides of a 9-in. springform pan with cooking spray; press cookie crumbs onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides. Place pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 16 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan; set aside.
• Transfer cottage cheese to a food processor (discard liquid from bowl); cover and process for 2-3 minutes or until smooth. Add the cream cheese, sugar and salt; cover and process until smooth.
• Transfer to a large bowl; stir in the vanilla, eggs and egg white just until smooth. Reserve 1 cup of batter; pour remaining batter into prepared pan. Combine the reserved batter with melted chocolate; stir until smooth. Drop by spoonfuls over plain batter; cut through with a knife to swirl.
• Place springform pan in a larger baking pan; add 1 in. of boiling water to larger pan. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until center is just set. Turn oven off and open door slightly. Cool cheesecake in oven for 30 minutes.
• Remove pan from water bath. Remove foil from bottom of pan. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Chill 3-4 hours or overnight. Remove sides of pan. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 12 servings.

Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake published in Light & Tasty February/March 2006, p46