Chocolate Ricotta Cheesecake

Ingredients

Graham Crust

• 1 cup Graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Filling

• 3 cups ricotta or low-fat cottage cheese
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup Hershey’s Cocoa
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Glazed Fruit
• Sweetened whipped cream (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Stir together all ingredients. Press mixture onto the bottom and 1/2 inch up the side of 9 inch springform pan.
3. Bake for 10 minutes; cool.
4. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. In food processor or blender container, place ricotta cheese, sugar and eggs; process until smooth.
6. Add remaining ingredients except Glazed Fruit. Process until smooth. Pour batter into prepared crust.
7. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until set. Remove from oven. Loosen cheesecake from rim of pan; cool to room temperature.
8. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
9. Remove rim of pan; top with fresh or Glazed Fruit, mint sprig and pipe with sweetened whipped cream, if desired.
10. Glazed Fruit: Stir 1 1/2 cups sliced peaches, pitted sweet cherries, fresh strawberries or pineapple chunks with 1/2 cup fruit preserves until fruit is well coated. Arrange on top of cheesecake.