Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake GF

Sugar Free and Gluten Free
makes 1 (9-inch) cheesecake; serves 10 – 12 (from simply sugar &gluten free.com)

adapted from Cooking Light, December 2010 edition

4 ounces biscotti or graham crackers (gluten-free, of course!!)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 (8-ounce) packages block-style light cream cheese
4 ounces block-style fat free cream cheese
1/2 cup agave nectar
3/4 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 extra large eggs
2 extra large egg whites
1/2 cup Cranberry Clementine Sauce, pureed (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch spring form pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. (You want the long aluminum foil here so that it comes up the sides of the spring form pan. Otherwise water can leak into the bottom of the pan and ruin your crust.) Set a kettle of water to boil for the bain marie.

Place the biscotti or graham crackers in a food processor and whirl until they’re finely ground. Pour melted butter over crumbs and process until they come together. Press the crumbs in the bottom of the pan. Bake for 8 – 10 minutes until crust is slightly puffed and turns a light goled brown. Let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the all of the cream cheese with the agave on medium speed until smooth. Beat in the Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, and salt. Add the whole eggs one at time, mixing each one in before adding another. Scrape the bowl as needed. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. Stir 1/4 of the beaten whites directly into the cream cheese mixture. Fold the remaining egg whites in.

Gently turn the cream cheese mixture into the cooled crust. Drop the pureed cranberry sauce by tablespoons in a random pattern over the top of the cheesecake. Swirl a knife through the cheesecake to create a beautiful marbled pattern. Place unbaked cheesecake into a 9×13 or larger baking dish. Place the baking dish into the oven and carefully pour hot water halfway up the side of the spring form pan. Bake for 60 – 65 minutes or until the center of the cake barely moves when the pan is touched. Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake cool for 30 minutes with the door closed.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and carefully take it out of the bain marie. Remove the foil, run an offset spatula between the cake and the spring form pan, and let cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, cover and refrigerate for 6 – 8 hours before serving.

Cranberry Clementine Sauce
makes about 2 cups

1/2 cup fresh squeezed clementine or orange juice
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup unsweetened, frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 teaspoon liquid stevia
pinch of cinnamon
2 cups fresh cranberries

Put the fresh squeezed juice, water, thawed juice concentrate, stevia, and cinnamon in a heavy-bottom medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil uncovered, reduce to a simmer and let cook for 5 – 8 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Stir in cranberries and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until berries have cooked down and sauce starts to become jelly-like.

Store in a pint mason jar in the refrigerator. Keeps for up to two weeks (if it lasts that long!)