Healthier cheesecake is possible

Cheesecake is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. But it’s hard to be pleased with the amount of fat in many classic versions – usually more than 30 grams per serving. But happily, a delicious lighter cheesecake is possible.

Typical cheesecakes contain as much as three-quarters of a pound of fat, most of it from the cream cheese and heavy cream or sour cream in the filling. In addition, a traditional graham cracker crust can add an entire stick of butter.

Making a healthier – yet still satisfying – cheesecake is just a matter of choosing the right ingredients.

Nutritionist Ellie Krieger, host of the Food Network show “Healthy Appetite,” recommends reduced-fat rather than non-fat ingredients because they significantly cut fat, saturated fat and calories without sacrificing taste and texture.

In her recipe for Ricotta Cheesecake with Fresh Raspberries, Krieger uses a blend of Neufchatel and pureed part-skim ricotta cheese. This recipe further reduces calories and fat by eliminating the crust. A bit of flour added to the batter forms a golden-brown “crust” on the sides and bottom as the cheesecake bakes.

Ricotta Cheesecake with Fresh Raspberries

From Ellie Krieger’s “The Food You Crave” (Taunton Press, 2008)

15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

4 ounces Neufchatel (reduced-fat cream cheese), softened

3 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup all-fruit seedless raspberry jam

1 tablespoon orange liqueur or water

Two 6-ounce containers fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9-inch, leakproof springform pan with cooking spray.

In a food processor, puree the ricotta until smooth and creamy. Add the sour cream, Neufchatel, eggs, sugar, flour, vanilla, orange zest and salt and process until well blended. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until the center is just set, 50 to 55 minutes.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool, then cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before removing it from the pan. The cheesecake will be about 2 inches high.

In a small saucepan, bring the jam and liqueur to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Brush the top of the cheesecake with the jam mixture, then top with raspberries, flat side down. The cake should be stored in the refrigerator, where it will keep for 2 to 3 days.

Yield: 8 servings

Nutrition information per serving: 295 calories, 13 grams fat (8 grams saturated, 40 percent fat calories), 10 grams protein, 36 grams carbohydrate, 127 milligrams cholesterol, 3 grams dietary fiber, 375 milligrams sodium.