New York Style Cheesecake- Splenda Version

ItalianMomof2's Note:

Being Italian, I have a ton of family recipe's that have been handed down for generations that I love, but since I'm getting older, I have started to now play with them and make healthier versions. This is a true NY style cheese cake made with Ricotta, but i eliminated the sugar and some of the fat without compromising the taste. This is a dense, but light, cheesecake that you can serve as is or with fruit topping. I hope you enjoy as much as my family has. You really do have to refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours for it to firm up.

• Total Time: 2 hrs
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 10

Yield: 10.0 slices

• 2 (8 ounce) packages low-fat cream cheese
• 1 lb low-fat ricotta cheese
• 16 ounces low-fat sour cream
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons flour
• ½ cup butter
• 1 ½ cups Splenda sugar substitute
• 4 large eggs
• 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 325°F.
2. Wrap a 10" springform pan with aluminum foil and then spray the inside with a non stick cooking spray. (You have to cook the cake in a water bath and the aluminum foil creates an extra layer of protection between pan and water).
3. Melt butter and cool.
4. Add Ricotta and cream cheese to mixer and beat till smooth and creamy.
5. Add Splenda to mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, till incorporated.
6. Add the eggs one at a time to mixture and continue to mix on low.
7. Sift Flour and cornstarch together, then add to mixture on low speed. beat for 30 seconds.
8. Add Lemon Juice and Vanilla, beat 15 seconds.
9. Add Butter, beat for 10 seconds.
10. Add Sour Cream, beat for 15 seconds, make sure to scrape sides as needed.
11. Put springform pan into larger baking pan and pour mixture into pan. It will go all the way to top, but don't worry.
12. Pour hot water into outer baking pan, till it goes about 1/2 way up springform pan.
13. Bake on center rack about 1-1/2 hours. The center should be slightly jiggly.
14. Remove from oven, take out of bath, remove foil and cool completely on rack.
15. Once cooled, Put in fridge for at least 8 hours.
16. When your ready to serve, you should just be able to open side of springform pan and serve. if the sides do stick, just run a butter knife around the edges, but since I started using Splenda, I never have to do that for some reason.
17. Note: when baking the cake, at times, it will rise above the top of pan and split open, don't worry, when you take it out to cool, it will fall slightly and all go back together.

Reviews

[Pennee Parker]

I adjusted this recipe a little since I don't like all Splenda, I used 3/4c sugar 3/4 c Splenda. Also used 1 8 oz cream cheese -reduced fat. Also added fresh grated orange and lemon rind. The taste and texture were superb. I had tried all Splenda before without getting the volume (I like tall cheesecakes) and guests said they noticed the artificial aftertaste. Adding just one 8 oz cream cheese really made it more creamy - thee original was good, but a little to souffle-like for our taste.