Greek yogurt 'cheesecake' with honey-walnut topping
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Anyone else feel like they ate everything this Christmas? Oh I have no regrets. I'm just saying that after a steady diet of Christmas cookies and cheese and crackers and delicious mama-made meals, I could/should spend some serious time with fruits, veggies, and healthier desserts. (Note that I say healthier desserts, not no desserts. Who do you think I am? No desserts is crazy talk.)
What is not crazy talk? Greek yogurt cheesecake. This really is a healthy dessert – nonfat Greek yogurt, eggs, and a little sugar – that is all! It is insanely easy to make. And it's actually really smooth, creamy, and delicious. Really, I am blown away by how good this is.
I made this for a Greek-themed dinner party back in the fall. Greek desserts are too hard for me on a weeknight (or ever – I'll leave baklava to the pros), but I wanted to make something relevant to the theme. So I searched around for a dessert involving Greek yogurt, and then made up a honey walnut baklava-like topping to go with it.
I made the graham cracker crust no problem, and slid the cake into the oven, praying to the baking gods that it did not deteriorate into a watery mess burning on the bottom (always a risk when trying something new). Well, my prayers were answered because it came out looking A-OK and I was elated!
And I'm happy to report that it tastes good, too. Definitely nowhere near as rich and creamy as a regular cheesecake, but it also doesn't give you that too-full feeling after eating a slice. I will definitely be making this again and trying out different toppings.
Greek yogurt cheesecake with honey-walnut "baklava" topping
For the cake
1-1/2 cups crushed graham cracker/crumbs
1 cup sugar, divided
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups plain or vanilla Greek yogurt (I used nonfat)
For the topping
1 cup honey (I used wildflower honey)
1 cup water
3/4 cups walnuts, toasted, and finely chopped
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, thoroughly combine graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter. Press into the bottom and a little up the sides of a 9-inch spring-form pan and bake for 10 minutes.
3. Beat together eggs, remaining 3/4 cup sugar, vanilla, and flour. Gently whisk in the Greek yogurt.
4. Pour into hot crust and bake for 45-50 minutes or until barely set in center (just a little jiggly when you shake it).
5. Cool cake to room temperature on wire rack, then refrigerate at least an hour (or overnight) before serving.
6. For the topping: 30 minutes before serving, combine all topping ingredients in a small saucepan on the stove. Simmer until thickened, approximately 15 minutes. Spoon over each piece of cake before serving.