Ginger-kiwi Cheesecake

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 2/3 cup gingersnap crumbs
• 1/2 cup minced crystallized ginger
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 2/3 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
• 4 large egg whites
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• long thin strips of lemon, zest of, candied (optional)
• 1 cup yogurt cheese (see my recipe for yogurt cheese) or 1 (8 ounce) package fat-free cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon, rind of
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 kiwi, peeled

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2 in a medium bowl combine the cookie crumbs, 1/4 cup of the diced ginger and melted butter.
• 3 pat evenly over the bottom of a 8 inch springform pan.
• 4 bake for 10-12 minutes.
• 5 in a food processor or blender whirl ricotta cheese, egg whites and lemon juice until mixture is very smooth.
• 6 in a large bowl mix the yogurt cheese, sugar, grated lemon peel and vanilla.
• 7 add ricotta mixture and stir until well blended (this will be thin).
• 8 pour onto cooked crust.
• 9 bake in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes.
• 10 you want it cooked but the center barely jiggly.
• 11 remove and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
• 12 run a sharp knife around the rim and place in the fridge until cooled.
• 13 cover with plastic wrap and cool overnight.
• 14 right before serving remove rim and arrange kiwi slices around the edge of cake.
• 15 sprinkle with remaining ginger and candied lemon strips.
• 16 serve.