Chocolate Ricotta Cheesecake

Graham Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Stir together all ingredients. Press mixture onto bottom and 1/2 inch up side of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 minutes; cool.

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)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

In food processor or blender container, place ricotta cheese, sugar and eggs; process until smooth. Add remaining ingredients except Glazed Fruit. Process until smooth. Pour batter into prepared crust. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until set. Remove from oven. Loosen cheesecake from rim of pan; cool to room temperature. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Remove rim of pan; top with fresh or Glazed Fruit, mint sprig and pipe with sweetened whipped cream, if desired.

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.