Light and Luscious Strawberry Cheesecake with Fresh Strawberry Sauce 

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Serves: 14 person(s)

Preparation Time: 50 mins
Cooking Time: 1 hr
Extra Time: 2 hrs (for cooling and freezing)

Yield: 1 x 9-inch cheesecake

Delicious light, fresh strawberry cheesecake.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

3 Tbsp melted butter or margarine

1 carton (15 oz.) part-skim ricotta cheese

1 cup sugar, divided

2/3 cup flour

4 eggs, separated

2 Tbsp grated lemon peel

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup nonfat light sour cream substitute

3 pint baskets California strawberries, stemmed

4 tsp lemon juice

1/4 cup red currant jelly, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300ºF.

In medium bowl mix crumbs and butter. Press onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of lightly greased 9-inch springform pan; set aside.

To make filling, in mixer bowl beat ricotta cheese until smooth. Add 3/4 cup of the sugar, the flour, egg yolks, lemon peel and vanilla; mix well. Stir in sour cream substitute to blend thoroughly.

In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold into cheese mixture.

Pour into prepared crust; smooth top. In a preheated oven, bake for 1 hour. Turn off oven; cool in oven 1 hour with door ajar. Remove from oven; chill thoroughly.

Meanwhile, to make strawberry sauce, in blender or food processor purée 2 baskets of the strawberries with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the lemon juice; strain sauce to remove seeds. Cover and chill.

To complete the cake, halve remaining strawberries; arrange on top of cake. Brush strawberries with jelly. Cut cake into wedges; serve with sauce.

Author:

Recipe and photo provided courtesy of the California Strawberry Commission. © 2004 California Strawberry Commission. All rights reserved.
California Strawberry Commission