No-bake Pineapple Cheesecake Recipe

FOR CRUST
12 Graham cracker squares
-(2 1/2″; 16 for 10″ plate)
1/3 c Grape Nuts cereal
-(1/2 cup for 10″ plate)
2 tb Granulated sugar
1 tb Hazelnut, walnut or canola
-oil
1 ts Unsalted butter, melted
(2 t for 10″ place)
1/2 lg Egg white (1 tb for 10″
-plate)
2 tb Fruit juice or water, or as
-needed (1 tb for 10″ plate)

-FOR FILLING-
1 1/4 c Non-fat vanilla yogurt
1 cn Crushed pineapple,
-unsweetened or in light
-syrup (20 oz)
3/4 c Non-fat cottage cheese
3/4 c Low-fat cream cheese, at
-room temperature
3/4 c Granulated sugar
1 ts Vanilla extract
1 1/2 ts Pineapple extract
3 tb Lemon juice
3 1/2 ts Unflavored gelatin

To make crust: Position rack in center of oven, and preheat ove nto
350’F. Crumble the graham crackers into the bowl of a food processor
and process until crumbs form. Add the cereal, sugar, oil, butter,
egg white and 1 teaspoon juice or water. Pulse until the crumbs are
evenly moistened. Pinch a spoonful of crumbs together, and test
whether they are moist enough to hold the print of your finger. If
necessary, add a few more drops of juice or water and pulse once or
twice.

Turn the crumbs into an 8″ springform pan or a 10″ pie plate and use
your hand or the back of a metal spoon to press an even layer around
the sides of the pan. Spread the remaining crumbs evenly over the pan
bottom. Top with a piece of wax paper, and press to form an even
layer, taking care not to build up the crumbs in the corner. Bake the
shell for 7 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
The crust firms and crisps as it cools.

To make filling: Place the yogurt in a fine-mesh strainer set over a
bowl and set aside to drain for at least 20 minutes. Transfer to a
small bowl, and discard the whey. Drain the crushed pineapple in a
strainer set over a bowl. Press the fruit lightly with the back of a
large spoon to release all the juice. Transfer the pineapple to a
small bowl, and reserve 1/2 cup of the juice.

Place the cottage cheese in a strainer set over a bowl. cover it with
a piece of plastic wrap, and press down firmly on the cheese to force
excess liquid from the curds.

Place the cottage cheese and cream cheese in a blender or a food
processor. Process for at least 3 minutes, or until absolutely smooth,
with no trace of graininess, stopping once to scrape down the sides
with a rubber spatula.

Add the sugar, vanilla, pineapple extract and drained yogurt. Pulse
until well blended. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula, and
pulse several times. Add 1 1/2 cups of the drained crushed pineapple
and pulse just to blend.

In a small saucepan, combine the reserved 1/2 cup pineapple juice and
the lemon juice. Sprinkle on the gelatin and allow to sit about 3
minutes to soften. Then stir the mixture over low heat just until the
gelatin is dissolved; do not boil. With the blender or food processor
running, add the gelatin mixture and pulse to blend.

Pour the filling into the crust and refrigerate at least 3 hours or
overnight before serving. Once the top is firm, cover it with plastic
wrap.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 245 calories, 8 grams protein, 6
grams fat, 0.7 gram saturated fat, 42 grams carbohydrate, 270
milligrams sodium, 10 milligrams cholesterol, calories from fat: 22
percent.

From Tuscon area newspapers, 1994, 3rd quarter, courtest Mike Orchekowski.
File ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/tn-94q3.zip

Yields
1 Cheesecake