Raspberry vanilla cheesecake with a hint of chocolate

Creamy, dreamy and totally divine are among the descriptions that spring forth when friends and family sample this raspberry vanilla creation of mine. It's one of the most popular desserts on my repertoire.

---

The recipe was inspired by an abundance of beautifully plump raspberries, my sheer love of good cheesecake, and the challenge of producing something sweet and delicious that my system can tolerate. As such, you'll note that the ingredients include low-fat cream cheese, 'lite' sour cream, as well as sugar-free, gluten-free biscuits. In developing the recipe, I have also kept the quantity of sugar in the cheesecake filling to a minimum.

Some of you might screw up your nose at the prospect of a cheesecake that's lower in fat and made with sugar-free or gluten-free biscuits. Please be assured, the results are outstanding, and you'll be pleasantly surprised. Would my taste buds lie to you? Absolutely not.  ت 

Now tell me, do you love cheesecake as much as I do? What's your favourite?

---

The recipe... 

RASPBERRY VANILLA CHEESECAKE WITH A HINT OF CHOCOLATE
For the base:
200g plain biscuits, unsweetened, gluten free*
125g unsalted butter
2 teaspoons chocolate raspberry truffle powder* or good cocoa powder

For the filling:
500g low fat cream cheese 
125g 'lite' sour cream
3 free-range eggs
1 teaspoon ground vanilla bean powder
125g caster sugar
100g raspberries, preferably fresh

Grease the base and sides of a 10-inch/25cm springform tin, and line with parchment. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Meanwhile, using a food processor (or mortar and pestle), crush the biscuits to a fine crumb. Add the melted butter and the chocolate truffle powder or cocoa and mix briefly until combined. Transfer the biscuit mixture to the prepared tin and press it firmly into the base and 1-2 cms up the sides. Use the back of a spoon (or clean hands) to do this. Pop the tin into the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the filling.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Place the raspberries into a small bowl and, using a small fork, crush them lightly (see my photograph). 

Beat the cream cheese and sour cream with the sugar and vanilla, then beat in the eggs. This can be done in your food processor, a stand mixer or by hand with a rotary whisk. Fold through the crushed raspberries. 

Pour the filling over the chilled base and bake for 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool on the kitchen bench, then chill before serving. Serves 8-10. 

*Notes:
I use sugar-free 'Maria' biscuits from Aldi Supermarkets. Sometimes you can find sugar-free, gluten free varieties, which are my preference nowadays.

The chocolate raspberry truffle powder was purchased from a company called Your Inspiration at Home (you'll find them online). Use some good quality cocoa powder as a substitute. 

It goes without saying that you can use full-fat cream cheese and sour cream, as well as regular Marie or other sweetened biscuits if you wish.

---

Instructions for preparation using the Tefal Cuisine Companion:

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Meanwhile, fit the kneading/crushing blade to the Cuisine Companion. Place the biscuits into the bowl and on speed 12, mix to a fine crumb for 60 seconds (longer if needed). Add the melted butter and the chocolate truffle powder or cocoa to the bowl, and mix briefly until combined. Remove the blade. Transfer the biscuit mixture to the prepared tin and press it firmly into the base and 1-2 cms up the sides. Use the back of a spoon (or clean hands) to do this. Pop the prepared base into the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the filling.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Place the raspberries into a small bowl and, using a small fork, crush them lightly (see my photograph). 

To make the filling, fit the kneading/crushing blade to the Cuisine Companion. Place the cream cheese, sour cream, eggs, ground vanilla and caster sugar into the bowl. Mix at speed 12 for 50 seconds to one minute. Remove the blade, fold the raspberries into the mixture, then pour the filling over the chilled base. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool on the kitchen bench, then chill before serving. Serves 8-10. 

Disclaimer: Good Things received a Tefal Cuisine Companion to play with. While the appliance is 'sponsored', there is no payment for this or others posts.

---

---

---

---

---

If you love cheesecake as much as I do, you might also enjoy this New York cheesecake, or this deconstructed ginger and mango cheesecake dessert. 

Thank you for taking the time to leave me a comment or share your thoughts and recipe inspirations. I genuinely love hearing from you xox