Cheesecake (Protein)

proteincheesecakealmondflourproteincrust This protein cheesecake is rich and creamy and packs in up to 30 g of protein per slice. It's a simple recipe that works with or without protein powder. I use this recipe as a base for all my cheesecakes with flavour variations depending on what I have on hand.

Protein Cheesecake:
3¼ cups non-fat Greek yogurt, at room temperature
14 oz cream cheese with protein, at room temperature
6 large eggs, whisked
¾ cup Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol (Granular)
4 scoops (½ cup) vanilla whey protein powder (78 g)
⅔ cup cornstarch
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp. sea salt

Almond Flour Protein Crust:
1½ cups almond flour, preferably unblanched or almond meal
4 Tbsp. salted butter, melted
2 Tbsp. Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol (Powdered)
2 scoops (¼ cup) vanilla whey protein powder (39 g)

Garnish:
Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol (Powdered)

Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).

Make the Crust:
Combine the crust ingredients in a food processor and process until well combined. Press into the bottom and up the sides of an 8" springform pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes until slightly golden browned.

Reduce the oven temperature to 320°F (160°C/140°C fan, Gas Mark 2).

Make the Protein Cheesecake:
In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add the yogurt, then the sugar, eggs, and the vanilla extract. Gradually stir through the cornstarch, ensuring there are no clumps.

Transfer the cheesecake mixture to the prepared crust and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the edges are set.

Once the cheesecake is baked, allow it to cool completely. Dust with powdered sweetener and serve.

Makes 12 servings.

Cook's Notes:

Keep an eye on the cheesecake as it bakes. If the middle continues to be a little too soft, cook it a little longer. Once it is firm to the touch, it’s fine to remove it from the oven.
Always use room-temperature yogurt and cream cheese, as it will yield a creamier cheesecake.
The topping is completely optional. The cheesecake tastes just as good on its own.

Storage Instructions:

To Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to one week.
To Freeze: Place the baked and cooled cheesecake in a shallow container and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Add More Protein:

I used a protein cream cheese which has twice the amount of protein as regular cream cheese.
The protein powder is completely optional. When made without it, each slice of cheesecake has 19 g of protein. When made with it, each slice will have around 30 g of protein.
Make a protein frosting to top the cheesecake with. Whisk together non-fat Greek yogurt with protein powder and a touch of pure maple syrup or honey. Thin it out with more yogurt as needed.
Swap out half the Greek yogurt for equal parts of non-fat cottage cheese. Be sure to blend it completely first, or else there will be clumps.

Variations:

Lemon: Spread a thin layer of lemon curd on top of a slice – store-bought or homemade both work well here. Add a whipped cream rosette, fresh mint and a twist of fresh lemon. If you want a more edible garnish, add lemon jelly slices or candied lemon peel instead.
Key Lime: To get that sweet-tart flavour of key lime pie, sprinkle fresh lime zest on top of a slice. If you’re feeling extra-ambitious, fold some lime zest into whipped cream as well, then pipe that on top. Garnish the whipped cream with a thin slice of lime.
Strawberry: Use a microplane or fine mesh strainer to grate freeze-dried strawberries over a cheesecake slice, covering the whole slice in strawberry powder. Add a swirl of whipped cream and a fresh strawberry on top.
Get Saucy: try adding strawberry sauce, blueberry sauce, cranberry sauce, blackberry sauce, or mango sauce to some of the slices. The more liquid sauces are best added shortly before serving so things don’t get messy.
Nutty: Drizzle melted peanut or almond butter over the top.
Chocolate: Use a chocolate whey protein instead of vanilla and add ⅓ cup (50 g) cocoa powder to the batter. Top with Chocolate Ganache or chocolate chips.
Chocolate Ganache: Melt a ½ cup unsweetened dark chocolate chips with 1 Tbsp. almond milk, or coconut milk in a double-boiler. Let it cool slightly then pour on top of the cheesecake.