Basic Cheesecake

8 servings 1 Better Balance Bites/Blue Points

Calories 124 Fat 2.4g Sat. Fat 0.8g Protein 14.7g Carbs 27.6g Fiber 0.4g Sugars 4.2g

Ingredients

· 1 (32 oz) container plain nonfat Greek yogurt, room temperature

· 4 eggs, room temperature

· 1 (1 oz) pkg sugar-free pudding mix (see notes)

· 3/4 cup sugar replacement

· 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

· 1 tsp vanilla extract (see notes)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Coat an 8” cake or springform pan (see notes) with cooking/baking spray, then line the bottom with a circle of parchment and the sides with strips of parchment. Half-fill a loaf pan with water; set aside.

2. With a mixer, combine the yogurt and eggs. Beat until combined, then mix in the pudding mix and incorporate well.

3. Add the remaining ingredients into yogurt mixture and beat until fully combined.

4. Pour into the prepared pan and tap a few times on the counter to release any air bubbles. Place the water-filled loaf pan on the lowest rack of the oven, then place the cheesecake-filled pan on a rack in the middle of the oven.

5. Bake until the center is mostly set, but still jiggles slightly, about 45 minutes. The internal temperature should be about 150° F. Turn off the oven, remove only the water-filled pan, and, with the oven door slightly ajar, leave the cheesecake inside to cool slowly, at least 45 minutes.

6. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 3-4 hours or (even better) overnight before serving.

7. If using a cake pan, set the pan into a larger pan of hot water for 2 minutes, then run a warmed knife around the edge to loosen any sticking, then turn it out onto a plate so that the top is now the bottom.

Notes

· This recipe is adaptable. Use any flavor pudding mix you prefer.

· You can change the vanilla extract to another extract based on the flavor of pudding mix used. Half-almond/half-vanilla would be great with pistachio. Almond would also be great with chocolate, as would orange extract! Feel free to play around with flavor combinations!

· Chocolate Cheesecake: For a deep chocolate flavor, use chocolate pudding mix, replace the 2 Tbsp of flour with 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, and (optionally) add 1 tsp instant coffee.

· This can be baked in an 8” deep-dish or 9” regular pie plate if you don’t want to try removing it from a pan, but bake it only about 30 minutes before allowing to partially cool in the open oven.

· The water bath and leaving the cheesecake to cool slowly in the oven help to prevent cracks but may not eliminate them entirely. If cracks don’t bother you, you can eliminate these two steps. And, if using a cake pan, the bottom will be the top, so it will matter less.