diet for stress

This low fat dessert recipe for cheesecake uses ricotta - a good protein provider for what is also an easy low fat dessert recipe, that everyone will love.

Serves 8 persons

Preheat the oven to 180C, 350F, gas 4. Prepare an 18cm round loose-based flan tin.

Ingredients

75g white self-raising flour

2 tablespoons caster sugar

2 teaspoons sifted cocoa powder

30g low-fat margarine

2 teaspoons water

1 egg yolk

Ricotta filling ingredients

150g low-fat ricotta cheese

1 egg

1 egg yolk

70g low-fat plain yogurt

55g caster sugar

2 teaspoons white plain flour

2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips

2 teaspoons of coffee-flavoured liqueur.

Method

In a large mixing bowl add self-raising flour, the sugar, sifted cocoa powder and low-fat margarine. Mix until even breadcrumbs are formed. Add the water and egg yolk, and mix until it forms a dough. Knead the pastry for a couple of minutes on a floured surface until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 30mins to rest.

When ready, gently roll the pastry and then cover and press over the prepared flan-tin. Cover the pastry with baking paper, leaving an extra 5cm all the way round. Fill and cover with baking beans or rice.

Bake in the preheated oven for ten minutes. Take out the pastry from the oven and remove the paper and beans. Then bake for a further five minutes, or until the pastry is a light golden brown. Leave to cool.

To make the cheesecake ricotta filling.

With an electric mixer in a medium sized mixing bowl, mix the ricotta, the egg yolk and whole egg, yogurt, sugar and flour, until smooth. Then add the choc chips and liqueur, and mix through the mixture.

Pour into the cooled pastry case and fill evenly. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool. Chill before adding fruit and decoration

NOTE: The above pic is a DOUBLE layer with a vanilla layer topped with strawberry.