Saturday Sweets: HONEY YOGURT CHEESECAKE
Prep: 
Cook: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8
 
Ingredients
  • YOGURT "CHEESE":
  • 2 cups (500 mL) 2% or higher yogurt
  • 2 cups (500 mL) ricotta cheese
  • CRUST
  • 2 cups gluten free gingersnap crumbs (*see note)
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • FILLING
  • 1 recipe yogurt cheese (above)
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • TOPPING
  • 1½ cups diced fresh mango and/or strawberries, or fruit/pie filling of your choice
Instructions
  1. Prepare yogurt “cheese” a day before needed. Stir yogurt and ricotta together and place in a cheese cloth (or large paper coffee filter) in a large strainer. Place strainer over a bowl, wrap loosely with plastic wrap and chill for 24 hours. Discard whey (liquid in bowl), and refrigerate yogurt cheese until ready to use.
  2. *Do not skip this step or your filling mixture will be way too runny.
  3. CRUST:
  4. Preheat oven to 325 F.
  5. Combine gingersnap crumbs, lemon zest, salt, and melted butter in a small bowl and press into an ungreased 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool while preparing filling.
  6. FILLING:
  7. For filling, in a medium bowl, whisk yogurt cheese with honey, egg, lemon zest, and vanilla. Spoon into cooled pie shell and bake for 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then chill at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
  8. Top with diced mango or topping of your choice immediately before slicing.
Notes
For gluten free crusts, I use ground up gluten free gingersnaps (available at most large supermarkets) in place of graham crumbs. Process them in your food processor until they reach the texture of sand or slightly larger. The additional butter in the cookies compared to traditional graham crumbs means you need to add less butter to the crust. If using traditional graham crumbs, increase butter to ⅓ cup.
Recipe by Hidden Ponies at https://hiddenponies.com/2012/08/saturday-sweets-honey-yogurt-cheesecake/