Tweaked at Chez Jan: Cranberry Cheesecake

Sometimes.......you just have to forget about the P+ value of something because you NEED to have this! Even though I used lighter ingredients, I just didn't want to know! Make this.....taste this.....and you'll understand why!

CRANBERRY CHEESECAKE

Makes 16 Pieces

CRUST:

2 cups reduced fat graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup light butter, melted

TOPPING:

1 bag (12 ounces) fresh cranberries
2/3 cup Splenda granulated
1/3 cup water

FILLING:

4 packages (8 ounces) Neufchatel cream cheese
1 cup Splenda granulated
½ tsp lemon extract
1 tsp vanilla
1 ¼ cup fat-free egg substitute

Preheat oven to 325°. Spray a 9” springform pan and place on a double thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Wrap foil around the pan. Place on a baking sheet; set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs and butter and then press in the bottom of the pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

While the crust is cooking, place the topping ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook uncovered over medium heat until the berries start popping, @15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the filling, put all the ingredients EXCEPT the egg substitute in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Gradually add the egg substitute until just blended.

Pour the filling into the pan. Take @1/4 cup of the topping and swirl it into/onto the filling using a knife.

Place the pan into a large baking dish; add 1” of water (to keep the cake from cracking). Bake @75 minutes or until the center is set and jiggles slightly. Remove pan from water and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides of the cake using a knife and remove the foil. Cool 1 hour more. Pour remaining topping over the cheesecake and spread.