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Surprise your valentine with a brownie cheesecake

Cap a romantic meal with this better-for-you brownie cheesecake. It has about 130 fewer calories and less than half the fat of the original recipe. (Photo courtesy of the Recipe Doctor / The Spokesman-Review)
Elaine Magee The Spokesman-Review
Cap a romantic meal with this better-for-you brownie cheesecake. It has about 130 fewer calories and less than half the fat of the original recipe. (Photo courtesy of the Recipe Doctor / The Spokesman-Review)

It’s that wonderful time of year when romantic dinners for two, lovey dovey cards, fresh-cut flowers … oh, and sinful desserts are enjoyed by couples everywhere.

Far be it for me to stand in the way of Valentine’s Day but I couldn’t help trying to at least contribute a light dessert option that satisfies those that crave the creaminess of cheesecake and those that just can’t define dessert without chocolate – brownie cheesecake.

The original recipe (which came from Philadelphia cream cheese) calls for regular cream cheese; we switched to light. It calls for a cup of sugar and we used half a cup of sugar and half a cup of Splenda (or Equal for baking). Instead of regular sour cream, we used fat-free sour cream, and we replaced one of the eggs with egg substitute. Instead of melted chocolate (as the original recipe calls for) you can increase the fiber and nutrition by topping the cheesecake with fresh fruit instead. The new and “better-for-you” brownie cheesecake saves you about 130 calories and cuts the fat in half (from 24 grams of fat to around 9).

The original recipe contains 380 calories, 24 grams of fat, 12.5 grams saturated fat, and 96 milligrams of cholesterol per serving.

Better Brownie Cheesecake

This dessert is yummy all by itself, but if you want to add something on top, fresh fruit, a drizzle of melted chocolate or a dollop of light or fat-free Cool Whip or light whipped cream work well.

1 box (13-by-9-inch pan size) Betty Crocker Low-Fat Fudge Brownie mix (see note)

2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream

4 packages (8 ounces each) light cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup Splenda

11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

2 large eggs (higher omega-3 eggs, if available)

1/4 cup egg substitute

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line 13-by-9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Spray inside of pan with canola cooking spray.

Prepare brownie batter as directed on package (the Betty Crocker Low-Fat mix calls for 2/3 cup water) except add 2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream in addition to the water. (If you are using another brownie mix that calls for 1/4 cup oil, for example, replace the oil with an equal amount of fat-free sour cream.) Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 15 minutes (or until the center is almost set).

Meanwhile, beat light cream cheese, sugar, Splenda and vanilla in large mixing bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, until well blended. Add 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream and mix well. Add each egg and the 1/4 cup egg substitute, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Gently spoon cream cheese mixture over the partially baked brownie batter in pan.

Bake for about 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Let the dessert cool for 30 minutes then cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. To cut and serve, lift cheesecake from pan using the foil handles. This dessert keeps well in the refrigerator for several days.

Note: If you can’t find Betty Crocker Low-Fat Fudge Brownie mix, choose a brownie mix that has 18-20 servings per mix and contains around 2.5 grams of fat in a serving of just the mix (the Safeway store brand brownie mix, for example, matches this profile).

Yield: 20 servings

Nutrition per serving: 250 calories, 8.5 grams fat (5.3 grams saturated, 36 percent fat calories), 9 grams protein, 33 grams carbohydrate, 55 milligrams cholesterol, 1 gram dietary fiber, 324 milligrams sodium.

Weight Watchers POINTS = 5