Lightened-Up Cheesecake Bars taste completely indulgent, but you can enjoy them without the guilt. A cherry topping or blueberry topping makes a delicious finishing touch.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 35 minutesminutes
Total Time 35 minutesminutes
Servings 9
Author Christin Mahrlig
Ingredients
Crust
1 1/2cupsgraham cracker crumbs
6tablespoonsbutter,melted
21/2tablespoonsSPLENDA® Sugar Blend
Filling
1(8-ounce)package reduced-fat cream cheese,room temperature
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9X9-inch pan with nonstick aluminum foil. Make sure that it overhangs the sides so you will be able to easily lift the cheesecake bars out of the pan. (You can also use an 8X8-inch pan but you may need to cook the filling a few minutes longer.)
In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons SPLENDA® Sugar Blend. Transfer to prepared pan and press firmly and evenly along the bottom of the pan.
Bake for 5-8 minutes. Let cool.
Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and cottage cheese until smooth.
Add eggs, one at a time, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add SPLENDA® Sugar Blend, flour, vanilla extract and almond extract and beat just until evenly mixed.
Pour batter on top of cooled crust. Place in oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
Let cool on the counter and then refrigerate to chill.
To make toppings, (making one at a time), combine fruit and SPLENDA® Sugar Blend in a small saucepan. In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water. Add to pan. Bring to a simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. If too thick, add another tablespoons of water.
To serve, cut cheesecake into bars and top with fruit topping.
Notes
I find that just beating the cream cheese and cottage cheese in the mixer is enough to smooth out most of the curds in the cottage cheese. The few small ones that were left were not noticeable at all in the baked bars. If you want to be absolutely sure the cottage cheese is smooth, process it in a food processor or blender before beating it together with the cream cheese.