Recipe: Citrus Cheesecake

CITRUS CHEESECAKE

CRUST:
Nonfat cooking spray
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
FILLING:
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2. packages (8-oz each) nonfat cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup 1% milk
1/3 cup nonfat sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon lemon peel, grated
1 teaspoon lime peel, grated
1 teaspoon orange peel, grated
3 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 300F.

PREPARE THE CRUST:
Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix crumbs, brown sugar and butter then firmly press mixture into bottom and 2 inches up the sides of the pan.

PREPARE THE FILLING:
In a large sized mixing bowl, combine sugar and flour then add vanilla, cream cheese, and eggs. Beat until smooth. Add milk, sour cream, citrus juices and peels and beat until smooth.

In a separate mixing bowl, using clean and dry beaters, beat egg whites at room temperature at high speed until soft peaks form.

Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time and beat until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold egg white mixture with cream cheese mixture. Pour into prepared crust.

Bake at 300 F for 1 hour or until set. Remove from oven and let completely cool on a wire rack.

Cover and chill for 4 hours or overnight.

Sprinkle with grated lemon, lime and orange zest before serving (optional.)

Makes 12 servings
Source: Seattle & King County Public Health