Low-Fat Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake

Directions

Crust

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9" spring form pan with cooking spray. Spread the hazelnuts on a cookie sheet and toast until golden, about 10 minutes. Place hazelnuts in a towel and rub off skins. Finely chop and place in a small bowl. Add the graham cracker crumbs and mix well. Stir in the egg white and blend until well combined. Spread into an even layer on bottom of the pan, pressing with fingers. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Reduce heat to 300°F.

Filling

In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the cottage cheese, cream cheese, sugar and flour until smooth. Remove 2 cups and set aside. Add the cocoa and chocolate syrup to the food processor and puree until well mixed. Stir the Hazelnut Syrup into the 2 cups of reserved batter. Pour half of the chocolate mixture into the pan. Spoon two-thirds of the hazelnut mixture over the chocolate mixture in the pan. Pour the remaining chocolate over the hazelnut and cover with the remaining hazelnut batter. Without touching the crust, swirl the blade of a knife through the cake to create a marbling effect. Bake until just set in the center, about 50-55 minutes. Cool completely in the pan and loosen the sides of the cake with a knife. Remove the pan rim and refrigerate until chilled.