It’s a great way to celebrate Valentines Day. Don’t worry if you get cracks in your cheesecake, more often than not, you’ll get them. It will still taste terrific. Just simply cover the cracks with sliced strawberries or raspberries, or even cover with melted chocolate
INGREDIENTS:
• 1 box low-fat brownie mix
• 2 cups 1% cottage cheese
• 1 cup light sour cream (not fat-free)
• 1 8oz package light cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
• 4 whole eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• Melted chocolate for drizzling (optional)
METHOD:
1. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Prepare brownies according to package directions, baking in springform pan. Brownies should bake in 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Remove from oven and reset temperature to 325ºF. Set brownie crust aside to cool slightly while you prepare filling.
3. To make filling, whirl cottage cheese, sour cream and cream cheese in a blender until perfectly smooth. Scrape out into a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, sift together sugar, cocoa and flour.
4. Gradually add sugar mixture to cream-cheese mixture and beat on medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add melted chocolate and beat again, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat just until eggs are incorporated into batter.
5. Before pouring batter over crust, lightly grease sides of pan. This will help prevent cheesecake from cracking as it cools. Pour batter over brownie crust and smooth top.
6. Place on middle oven rack and bake for 60 to 70 minutes. Cake will be puffed up and center will jiggle slightly when pan is shaken.
7. Turn off oven, open oven door halfway, and leave cake in oven to cool for 1 hour. Remove from oven, run knife around edge of pan to loosen cake from sides, and cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
8. To serve, remove sides of pan, slice thinly (it’s rich!), and serve with fresh raspberries and chocolate drizzle, if desired.
Tip: To melt chocolate, place chcocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on medium-low power until chocolate is melted.
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