Let's Start Things Off With My Favorite

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake With Salted Pretzel Crust (Gluten Free)

(Modified from Food Network Kitchens recipe)

Yield: 12 Servings

What You Need:

CRUST
1 1/4 cup Snyder's Gluten Free Pretzel Rods crumbs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter

FILLING

2 oz Hershey's Semi Sweet Chocolate Baking Bar
24 oz 1 percent cottage cheese
8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons Gluten-Free Baking Flour
1 egg
2 egg whites
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Fresh strawberries

What You do:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.

2. Crust: Put pretzels into food processor and grind into crumb consistency. Mix with sugar, water, and melted butter in a medium bowl until moistened. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes, while preparing the filling.

3. Filling: Put chocolate in microwave safe bowl. Microwave on medium power until soft and melted, about 1 minute, depending on the power of you oven. Stir until smooth. Puree the cottage these in the bowl of a food processor until smooth. Add the cream cheese, sugar, cocoa, and flour and continue to puree, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until smooth. Add the egg, egg whites, espresso, and vanilla and puree until incorporated. Add the melted chocolate and pulse until just combined. Pour over the prepared crust.

4. Put the pan on the upper rack in the oven and bake until just set and the center jiggles slightly, about 50 to 55 minutes. Turn off the oven and let stand in the oven for 1 hour. Remove cheesecake cooling rack and run a knife around the edge of the pan.

5. Let stand at room temperature until cooled, about 2 hours, and then refrigerate until well chilled, 8 hours or overnight. Let stand at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving. 

6. Slice with a clean, hot knife and serve with strawberries.

Nutritional Information:

Calories 245; Total Fat 9g (Sat Fat 5g); Protein 12 g; Carb 31 g; Fiber 2g; Cholesterol 36mg; Sodium 373mg