Sunday Sweets

My husband’s favorite dessert is cheesecake. To say that my husband even has a favorite dessert is a huge deal. If I could ever find a fault about my hubby, I would have to say that it is that he does not share the obsession with sweets and desserts that I do. It has become somewhat of an issue…or maybe a solution. I have had to stop baking as much because I end up having piles of cookies or a cake with only one piece eaten left in the house. When this happens, I have a hard time practicing good self control, which basically means I eat the rest. When we were dating, I used to bake for his roommates just so I could have someone to give sweet treats to! Since we have gotten married I have tried to only bake for special occasions or for groups. Keeping my diet kryptonite out of the house has been helpful, and my thighs thank me.

So back to cheesecake…Sundays this month will be themed “Sunday Sweets.” Today’s original recipe is for Cheesecake with Praline Sauce. I am sure this full fat and sugar cheesecake is to die for, but for the sake of our arteries and backsides I have tried to make it at least a little bit lighter.

I had intended to just simply change the ingredients to their healthier counterparts. While walking through the grocery store I found a old friend that I thought I might add to the mix, LF Vanilla Wafers! Thanks to Bonnie for reminding me that they still exist!

The recipe is pretty simple. Something I would add is a water bath. I tend to add one to prevent as much cracking during the initial cooking process. Even though I used one in this recipe, I still had quite a few cracks.

Luckily, this recipe adds a last minute topper that smoothes things out. Just make sure to spread the sour cream mixture evenly. I tapped my spoon at the end and forgot to cover the lump before the last few minutes of baking.

The very pretty final product:

The final verdict? It was a very pretty piece of cheescake that definitely tasted like low fat cheesecake. It tasted pretty good but was missing that rich creamy mouthfeel that a regular cheesecake would have. If you are in the mood for cheesecake but can't spend 700 calories on a slice this would be for you. Just remember that it is still 300 calories and by no means a "low calorie" dessert.

Here are the facts:

Modified Cheesecake with Praline Sauce

Ingredients:
Crust:
20 low fat Vanilla Wafers, rushed
4 ½ low fat graham cracker sheets, crushed
2 tbsp Smart Balance Light

Filling:
2 (8-ounce) packages low fat cream cheese
1 (8-ounce) package fat free cream cheese
1 cup Splenda
1 ¼ cups egg substitute
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Topping:
1 cup low fat sour cream
3 tbsp Splenda
1 tsp vanilla extract

Praline Sauce:
1 tbsp Splenda brown sugar mix
1 tbsp cornstarch
½ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup chopped pecans
½ tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust, mix together the Vanilla Wafers, graham crackers, sugar and butter. Spray the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan with Canola oil. Press the mixture along the bottom of the pan. Let the crust cook in the oven for 5-10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

To make the filling, beat the cream cheese and Splenda together. Gradually blend in the egg substitute and the vanilla. Pour the filling over the crust and bake for 1 hour. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes.

In a bowl, mix the sour cream, Splenda, and vanilla. Spread this mixture over the cake while it is still warm. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Let cheesecake cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

For the praline sauce, stir Splenda brown sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Stir in corn syrup and cook over medium heat, until thick. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and vanilla. Serve approximately 1 tbsp and 2 tsp sauce over each slice of cake. Enjoy!