Chocolate-almond Cheesecake (light Version)

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• vegetable oil cooking spray
• 3/4 cup chocolate graham cracker (teddy bear shaped cookies, finely crushed)
• 1 (12 ounce) container low fat cottage cheese (1%)
• 2/3 cup cocoa
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 (8 ounce) container reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) package fat free cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup amaretto
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 egg
• 1 cup reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
• 2 tablespoons almonds, sliced and lightly toasted

Recipe

• 1 coat the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray; sprinkle half of crushed cookies over bottom of pan.
• 2 process cottage cheese in an electric blender 2 to 3 minutes or until very smooth, scraping sides often; set aside.
• 3 sift cocoa and flour together; set aside.
• 4 beat cream cheeses in a large bowl at medium speed of an electric mixer 10 minutes. gradually add sugar, beating until well blended.
• 5 add cottage cheese; beat 1 minute.
• 6 add cocoa mixture; beat 1 minute, scraping sides of bowl as needed.
• 7 add amaretto and next 3 ingredients; beat 1 minute or until blended.
• 8 pour into prepared pan.
• 9 bake, uncovered, at 300 degrees for 55 minutes or until set.
• 10 remove from oven; sprinkle with remaining crushed cookies.
• 11 run a knife around edge of pan; cool in pan on a wire rack.
• 12 cover and chill at least 8 hours.
• 13 to serve, remove sides of pan; place cheesecake on a plate. pipe or dollop whipped topping around edge, decorate with almonds.