Chocolate and Kahlua Cheesecake

This is one of those desserts that looks amazing and tastes even better. The low-fat cottage cheese and sour cream keep the fat low so you don't have to feel guilty about eating it! :)

Make sure you give yourself enough time though. This one takes 3 1/2 hours in the oven plus it has to sit overnight. After baking the cake for about 1 1/2 hours it sits in the oven with the door open halfway for 2 hours. This helps prevent that cavernous crack that many cheesecakes get due to the drastic temperature change when they go from the hot oven to a cooling rack.

1 cup chocolate Oreo baking crumbs
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp butter, melted
2 cups low-fat (1%) cottage cheese
2 cups low-fat sour cream
8oz light cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 large eggs (or 3/4 cup fat-free egg substitute)
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup Kahlua or coffee liqueur
Fresh strawberries or raspberries to garnish

Preheat oven to 350F.

To make crust: Combine crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter in a small bowl. Mix well. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick spray. Press crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Reduce heat to 325F.

To make cake: In a blender or food processor, whirl cottage cheese, sour cream and cream cheese until smooth. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together both sugars, cocoa and eggs on medium speed of an electric mixer. Add cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth. Add cornstarch and beat again. Add vanilla and Kahlua and beat until mixture is well blended.
Pour batter into prepared crust. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cheesecake will appear puffy and will jiggle slightly when shaken. Turn off heat. Open oven door halfway and let cake cool in oven for 2 hours. Chill overnight.
Before serving, run a knife around the edge of the pan and remove sides. Garnish with fresh strawberries or raspberries, if desired.

Yield: 12 servings

Originally from: "Crazy Plates" ("Do the Cocoa Motion Cheesecake" pg 151)

Healthy Info per serving: 283 calories, 6.6g fat, 3.2g saturated fat, 12.1g protein