Happy Anniversary to my sweetie! And my sweetie has a sweet tooth, or two and I’m a savory character. Our philosophy is to always put each other first and do what makes the other happy and if you do, you will both get what you want out of life and the marriage.
With that in mind I wanted to make a dessert for us that was not too sweet and not too savory. One that was just right. I think this one does just that! Anyway, it surely made us happy!
Mise en Place!
Arrange 6 (3-inch) ring molds or 4 cans on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly coat molds with cooking spray.
In a food processor, crush the graham crackers leaving small crumbs. Don’t grind too much or you will end up with graham cracker dust!
Combine crumbs and butter in a small bowl, mix with a fork until moist.
Gently press 2 tablespoons crumb mixture into bottom of each mold. Chill 30 minutes.
Combine sugar, orange juice, and cream cheese in a food processor, and process until smooth.
Zest the orange! My favorite part!
Add yogurt, vanilla and orange zest; process until combined.
Sprinkle gelatin over 1/3 cup water in a small microwave-safe bowl; let stand for 1 minute. Microwave the gelatin on HIGH 15 seconds, stirring until gelatin dissolves.
Stir gelatin mixture completely into yogurt mixture. Fold in egg white.
Pour 1/3 cup yogurt mixture over crust in each mold. Chill at least 2 hours or until set.
Run a knife around outside edge of each ring mold. Gently press on the top of the cheesecake and it will release from the can. Do this over the plate you are going to use so you don’t have scrambled cheesecake!
Drizzle a small amount of honey over each cheesecake and sprinkle with raspberries and pistachios.
I used a raspberry honey ‘cuz my brother makes the BEST honey! But any kind of good quality honey will work.
Tip: I use 6-7 oz cans and cut the top and bottom off. The cans have ridges in them and it creates a nice design around the cheesecake.
Superfine Sugar – Pour regular sugar in food processor and whirl for 30 seconds to make superfine sugar and save money! Process sugar 1st and set aside. You can process the graham crackers without cleaning because if a little sugar gets in the graham cracker crust, it’s a sweet thing!
- Cooking spray
- 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 cup superfine sugar*
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 (8-ounce) block Neufchatel cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon pasteurized egg white, lightly beaten
- Handful of raspberries
- 2 tablespoons shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
- 2 Tbs Honey
- 4-6 ring molds or cans, depending on size of each cheesecake
- Arrange 6 (3-inch) ring molds 4-6 cans on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly coat molds with cooking spray.
- In a food processor, crush the graham crackers leaving small crumbs.
- Combine crumbs and butter in a small bowl, mix with a fork until moist.
- Gently press 2 tablespoons crumb mixture into bottom of each mold. Chill 30 minutes.
- Combine sugar, orange juice, and cream cheese in a food processor, and process until smooth. Add yogurt, vanilla and orange zest; process until combined.
- Sprinkle gelatin over 1/3 cup water in a small microwave-safe bowl; let stand for 1 minute. Microwave the gelatin on HIGH 15 seconds, stirring until gelatin dissolves. Stir gelatin mixture completely into yogurt mixture.
- Fold in egg white.
- Pour 1/3 cup yogurt mixture over crust in each mold. Chill at least 4 hours or until set.
- Run a knife around outside edge of each ring mold; remove molds from cheesecakes.
- Place 1 cheesecake on each dessert plate.
- Drizzle a small amount of honey over each cheesecake and sprinkle with raspberries and pistachios.
- I use 6-7 oz cans and cut the top and bottom off. The cans have ridges in them and it creates a nice design around the cheesecake.
- Superfine Sugar – Pour regular sugar in food processor and whirl for 30 seconds to make superfine sugar and save money! Process sugar 1st and set aside. You can process the graham crackers without cleaning because if a little sugar gets in the graham cracker crust, it’s a sweet thing!
