Recipe: Chocolate Marble Cheesecake

Prep time: 40 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour, 25 minutes

Serves 12

This recipe, from "Light & Healthy 2010: The Year's Best Recipes Lightened Up," is reprinted with permission from America's Test Kitchen.

Notes: The prep time does not include the 10- to 24-hour drain time for cottage cheese and yogurt or the 30-minute standing time for cheesecake before serving.

Be sure to use light cream cheese for this recipe, not 1/3 less fat cream cheese.

INGREDIENTS

For the crust

9 whole graham crackers, broken into rough pieces

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon sugar

Vegetable oil spray

For the filling

1 pound 1 percent cottage cheese, drained 10 to 24 hours (see instructions below)

1 pound plain low-fat yogurt, drained 10 to 24 hours

1 pound light cream cheese, at room temperature

1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided use

2 tablespoons vanilla extract, divided use

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa

INSTRUCTIONS

For the crust: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Process the graham crackers in a food processor to fine crumbs. Combine the crumbs with the butter and sugar in a small bowl. Transfer the crust mixture to a 9-inch springform pan and press it evenly into the pan bottom. Bake the crust until fragrant and beginning to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Taking care not to disturb the crust, coat the inside of the springform pan with vegetable oil spray, set the pan on a rimmed baking sheet, and set aside.

For the filling: Increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees. Process the drained cottage cheese in the food processor until no visible lumps remain, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the drained yogurt and cream cheese, and process until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add 1 1/2 cups of the sugar, 1 tablespoon of the vanilla, and salt, and process until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. With the processor running, add the eggs, one at a time, and process until smooth.

Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and cocoa in a bowl. Stir 1 cup of the cheesecake batter and the remaining 1 tablespoon vanilla into the sugar-cocoa mixture until smooth.

Pour the plain cheesecake batter into the prepared pan. Spoon and swirl the chocolate batter into the plain batter. (See instructions below.) Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees (hold the oven door open until an oven thermometer reads 200 degrees) and bake until the center of the cheesecake registers 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 hour.

Transfer the cake to a wire rack and run a paring knife around the edge of the cake to loosen. Cool completely, about 3 hours, then wrap the pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours.

To unmold the cheesecake, remove the sides of the pan and blot excess moisture from the top of the cheesecake with paper towels. Let the cheesecake stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Putting the marble in cheesecake

Using a tablespoon, gently spoon the chocolate batter onto the plain batter around the edge and in the center, leaving about 1/2 inch between each spoonful. (If there's extra chocolate batter, add it to previous drops.)

Using the handle end of a wooden spoon or spatula, drag the handle back and forth through the batter to make a marbled pattern.

Draining yogurt and cottage cheese

Draining away the excess liquid from the cottage cheese and the yogurt is an essential step. Don't be tempted to drain both in the same strainer – the drained cottage cheese needs to be puréed in a food processor until smooth. Use a brand of yogurt that doesn't contain modified food starch, gelatin or gums. Those prevent the yogurt from draining properly.

For the cottage cheese, line a bowl with several layers of paper towels, spoon the cottage cheese into the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 10 hours and up to 24 hours.

For the yogurt, line a fine-mesh strainer with 3 or 4 coffee filters or a double layer of cheesecloth. Place the strainer over a bowl. Spoon the yogurt into the strainer, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 10 hours or up to 24 hours.

Per serving: 287 cal.; 12 g pro.; 36 g carb.; 9 g fat (6 sat., 2 monounsat., 1 polyunsat.); 82 mg chol.; 401 mg sod.; 0 g fiber; 32 g sugar; 30 percent calories from fat.