Cheesecake with Cranberry-Maple Topping

Prepare and refrigerate both the topping and the cheesecake up to 3 days ahead of time, but take the cheesecake to your gathering in the springform pan. To serve it, remove the springform ring, slice the cheesecake, and pass the sauce.

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 wedge and 2 1/2 tablespoons topping)

Ingredients

• Topping:
• 1  cup  maple syrup
• 2  (8-ounce) packages fresh cranberries
• 
  Cheesecake:
• 15  gingersnaps
• 24  cinnamon graham crackers (6 full cracker sheets)
• 2  tablespoons  butter, melted
• Cooking spray
• 1 1/4  cups  sugar
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
• 2  (8-ounce) blocks 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1  (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 4  large egg whites

Preparation

To prepare topping, combine syrup and cranberries in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 375°.

To prepare the cheesecake, place the gingersnaps and graham crackers in a food processor, and process until fine crumbs measure 1 3/4 cups. Drizzle with butter, and pulse 2 times or until moist. Firmly press mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray.

Place sugar, vanilla, and cheeses in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until smooth. Add egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes or until cheesecake center barely moves when the pan is touched. Remove the cheesecake from oven, and run a knife around outside edge. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Serve with topping.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

283 (30% from fat)

Fat:

9.3g (sat 5.3g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.6g)

Protein:

6.6g

Carbohydrate:

43.7g

Fiber:

1.5g

Cholesterol:

28mg

Iron:

1mg

Sodium:

288mg

Calcium:

84mg