Chocolate-Amaretto Cheesecake

Chocolate and Valentine’s Day seems to go together. Ask anyone. It’s a great marketing concept. Buy her (or him) a box of chocolates to show your love and affection. Or you could make a luscious cheesecake. Just be sure to start early so you can give this cheesecake plenty of time to chill in the refrigerator.

This recipe comes from the Light and Easy Cooking Collection. It’s another one of those I received in the mail and kept. Don’t miss the variation at the bottom of the recipe. Crème de menthe is a wonderful variation.

You can also use an 8-inch pan for this recipe. Cook the larger cheesecake 45 to 50 minutes.

Chocolate-Amaretto Cheesecake

6 chocolate wafers, finely crushed
1 ½ cups light process cream cheese product
1 cup sugar
1 cup 1 % low-fat cottage cheese
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup amaretto
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate mini-morsels
Chocolate curls (optional)

Sprinkle chocolate wafer crumbs in bottom of a 7-inch spring form pan. Set aside.

Position knife blade in food processor bowl; add cream cheese and next 7 ingredients, processing until smooth. Add egg, and process just until blended. Fold in chocolate morsels.

Slowly pour mixture over crumbs in pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 65 to 70 minutes or until cheesecake is set. Let cool in pan on wire rack. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Remove sides of pan, and transfer cheesecake to a serving platter. Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired.

Makes 12 servings, at about 200 calories per serving.

Chocolate-Mint Cheesecake

Substitute ¼ cup crème de menthe for amaretto.

To make chocolate curls: Melt 3 squares semisweet chocolate. Pour the melted chocolate onto wax paper, and spread to a 3-inch-wide strip. Let stand until cool but not firm. Pull a vegetable peeler across the chocolate, and transfer curls to a plate. Store chocolate curls in the freezer.