Bless-Your-Heart Cheesecake
Submitted by mickeysastar
Low-fat no-bake cheesecake built on cottage cheese and gelatin, topped with fresh strawberries and raspberries. Heart-shaped Valentine’s-ready dessert that skips the cream cheese and the oven.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
15 minREADY
210 minBless-your-heart cheesecake is the diet-friendly Valentine’s Day dessert that smartly substitutes cottage cheese for cream cheese. The result is a no-bake cheesecake with a fraction of the saturated fat of a classic recipe, but a similar creamy-tangy texture once the cottage cheese gets blended completely smooth in a food processor.
Gelatin is what holds everything together. Sprinkle the powder over cold skim milk, let it bloom for five minutes, then heat gently until fully dissolved. Pour the warm gelatin mixture into the spinning processor while it’s blending the cottage cheese, sugar, orange zest, and salt. The gelatin firms the cheesecake during the 2 to 3 hour fridge set.
The upside-down approach is the unusual move. The cheesecake mixture goes into the pan first, then the graham cracker crumb crust gets sprinkled on top. When you unmold the cheesecake onto a serving plate, the crumbs become the bottom crust as designed. Quick dip in warm water loosens the gelatin from the pan walls.
A heart-shaped pan turns this into a Valentine’s showstopper. Glaze the strawberries and raspberries on top with a brushable raspberry preserves to give them an irresistible jewel-like shine.
Pro Tips
- Process the cottage cheese mixture for a full 2 minutes minimum. Undermixed cottage cheese leaves grainy curds in the finished cake.
- Don’t boil the gelatin. High heat destroys gelatin’s setting power. Stir over very low heat just until dissolved.
- Let the cheesecake set the full 2 to 3 hours undisturbed. Less and it slumps when unmolded.
- Heat the raspberry preserves with water just enough to brush smoothly. Boiling makes the glaze too liquid.
Variations
- Use lemon zest in place of orange zest for a brighter citrus profile.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the cheese mixture for deeper flavor.
- Swap the berry topping for sliced kiwi and mandarin orange segments for a tropical look.
Ingredients
Directions
In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over milk; set aside to soften, about 5 minutes.
Place saucepan over very low heat; cook, stirring constantly until gelatin is completely dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes; remove from heat; cool slightly.
In food processor fitted with metal blade or in blender, process cottage cheese, sugar, orange peel and salt until smooth.
With processor running, slowly add gelatin mixture.
Spoon mixture into a 9-inch (6½-cup) heart-shaped baking pan or an 8 x 6½-inch round baking pan.
In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter; sprinkle over cheesecake mixture.
Cover and refrigerate until firm, 2 to 3 hours. To unmold, using a metal spatula or knife, loosen edge around pan; quickly dip into warm water; unmold onto a serving platter.
Arrange strawberries and raspberries in rows across cheesecake.
In a small saucepan, heat raspberry preserves and water until melted; brush over berries.
Refrigerate until preserves are cold, about 30 minutes.
(If a round pan is used, arrange berries to resemble a heart.)
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