Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

By Gale Compto, Skinny Ms.

Ah, cheesecake. An American-born classic and a source of guilty pleasure to many. Despite its melt-in-your-mouth goodness, this dessert probably ranks high on your list of “off-limits” foods. Fortunately, our clean-eating Triple Chocolate Cheesecake lets you have your cake and eat it, too!

It’s packed full of wholesome, nutrient-rich ingredients like almonds, oats, and coconut sugar. They wash away any guilt you feel after eating processed foods or desserts made with refined sugars. And even though we use low-fat ricotta cheese and Greek yogurt instead of traditional cream cheese, our skinnied-up cheesecake still has all the rich, buttery texture you love in regular cheesecakes.

Triple the Goodness

They say good things come in threes, and we think they’re right! Triple the chocolate means triple the intensity and flavor. It all starts with a crunchy, almond and chocolate crust that cradles the fudgy, sweet cheese filling. Then, we top it off with even more mouthwatering chocolate sauce and a delectable berry topping.

Each layer boasts a unique consistency, creating a to-die-for flavor. Ruby-red raspberries add a fresh finishing touch to the mouthwatering treat. It looks gorgeous, tastes incredible, and has less than 400 calories per serving.

Each blissful bite of this triple chocolate cheesecake will bring joy to your taste buds! So what are you waiting for?

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

Yields: 16 servings | Calories: 383 | Total Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 180mg | Carbohydrates: 32g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 21g | Protein: 10g | SmartPoints (Freestyle): 17 |

Ingredients

Crust

• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces, or chocolate chips
• 1 cup raw almonds
• 1 cup oats (not instant)
• pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Filling

• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into small pieces, or chocolate chips
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, reduced fat, room temperature
• 1 cup ricotta cheese, low-fat
• 3/4 cup coconut palm sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain, fat-free
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Sauce

• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces, or chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup canned (lite) coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Berries

1 cup fresh raspberries, or berries of choice (if using strawberries, cut into halves or quarters)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For crust

1. Use a double boiler to melt chocolate or melt in a sauce pan or low heat.
2. Add almonds, oats, and salt to a food processor and pulse until a fine crumb consistency. Stir almond-oat mixture, melted chocolate, and coconut oil in a small bowl until well-combined.
3. Add crumbs to a 9-inch springform pan and press crumbs evenly on bottom and 1/2-inch up the sides of the pan.
4. Tip - Place plastic wrap over the fingers of one hand to press crumbs in place. Refrigerate crust to set while preparing filling.

For filling

1. Use the same double boiler or sauce pan to melt chocolate, and turn off heat when done. Cover and leave pan on burner while preparing filling. Chocolate should still be warm when adding to the filling.
2. Add cream cheese and ricotta cheese to a large mixing bowl.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat cheeses until light and fluffy and there are no longer visible lumps.
4. Add coconut palm sugar and continue beating until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat just until incorporated. Add yogurt and vanilla and beat until combined.
5. Pour warm chocolate into mixture and mix until chocolate is well combined.

To bake and chill

1. Pour filling into prepared crust, place on a baking sheet, and bake on center oven rack 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until top is set and some jiggle is still visible in the center.
2. Place cheesecake on a cooling rack and cool to room temperature, about 3 to 4 hours.
3. If any cracks appear in the cheesecake, don't worry as they will be filled in with the topping and no longer visible.
4. Place plastic wrap over the pan and refrigerate overnight or until completely chilled. Remove from the refrigerator and allow to set at room temperature about 5 minutes. Run a warm knife around the outside of the cheesecake before releasing sides of springform pan. It is recommended to leave the cheesecake on the bottom part of the springform pan for serving.

To serve topped with chocolate sauce and berries

1. Whisk together all ingredients for chocolate sauce in a small saucepan over low heat, until chocolate has melted. Allow to cool slightly then pour over cheesecake.
2. Add berries on top, as pictured. Enjoy!