Recipe - Praline-Crunch Cheesecake

CRUST
20 Vanilla wafers
1 tablespoon Canola oil

FILLING
2 One half cup Cottage cheese; lowfat
12 ounce Reducedfat cream cheese
(not nonfat); softened
2/3 cup Granulated sugar
1/3 cup Light brown sugar; packed
One fourth cup Cornstarch
1 lg Egg
2 lg Egg whites
1 cup Fatfree plain yogurt
3 tablespoon Bourbon
1 One half teaspoon Vanilla extract

PECAN PRALINE TOPPING
One half cup Granulated sugar
1/3 cup Water
One fourth cup Pecans; finely chopped

TO MAKE CRUST: Preheat oven to 325øF. Lightly oil a 9inch springform pan
or coat it with nonstick spray. Put a kettle of water on to heat for the
water bath. Wrap outside of pan with a double thickness of foil to prevent
water from seeping in.

In a food processor, finely grind vanilla wafers. Add oil and process until
well combined. Press into bottom of pan.

TO MAKE FILLING: In a food processor, puree cottage cheese until smooth,
stopping to scrape down sides of bowl. Add cream cheese, granulated and
brown sugars and cornstarch. Process until smooth. Add egg, egg whites,
yogurt, bourbon, if using, and vanilla; process until smooth. Pour over
crust.

Place cheesecake in a shallow roasting pan and pour in enough boiling water
to come One half inch up the outside of the springform pan. Bake for 50 to 60
minutes, or until edges are set but center still jiggles when pan is
tapped.

Turn off oven. Spray a knife with nonstick spray and run it around the
inside edge of the pan. Let cheesecake stand in the oven, with door ajar,
for 1 hour. Remove cheesecake from water bath and transfer to a wire rack;
let cool. Refrigerate, uncovered, until chilled; cover with plastic wrap.

Just before serving, sprinkle cheesecake with Pecan Praline Topping.

TO MAKE PECAN PRALINE TOPPING: Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat it with
nonstick spray.

In a small heavy saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a simmer over
low heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar melts. Increase heat to
mediumhigh and cook, without stirring, until syrup turns medium amber, 3
to 5 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and stir in pecans. Pour onto
prepared baking sheet, spreading in a thin layer. Let stand until praline
is cool and brittle.

Slide a metal spatula under praline to loosen it from pan; crack into small
pieces. Place in a food processor and pulse until coarsely crushed or
ground.

NOTES : The cheesecake will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to =
2 days. The praline will keep, thightly covered, at room temperature for up
to 3 = days.
Recipe by: Eating Well (November 1997)

Posted to recipeludigest by Nesb2 Nesb2@aol.com on Mar 3, 1998