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Directions:
Crust
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso
2 tablespoons Splenda
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese at room temperature
8 ounces mascarpone cheese at room temperature
2 cups Splenda
4 eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons instant espresso
1 tablespoon hot water
2 tablespoons brandy (or cognac)
1 ounce semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, grated
Topping
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
To make the crust:
In a small bowl, combine the almond flour, espresso, Splenda and butter until well blended. Press mixture into the bottom of a 8 1/2 or 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 minutes, then cool on a wire rack. When cool, take a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil and wrap the bottom of the springform pan to the top edge.
To make the filling:
While the crust is cooling, beat the cream cheese and mascaropone at a medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Gradually beat in the Splenda, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until completely smooth (about 2-3 minutes). Reduce the speed of the mixer, add the vanilla and salt, then add the eggs, one at a time, until each egg is just blended in.
Pour 4 cups of the filling over the crust in the springform pan, then tap the pan lightly to bring the bubbles to the surface. Dissolve the espresso in the hot water. To the remaining batter in the mixer bowl, add the espresso, brandy and grated chocolate, mixing well. Spoon the espresso batter over the top of the filling in the pan, smoothing with a spatula.
Place the springform pan in a roasting pan large enough to hold it. Pour enough hot water in the roasting pan to come up 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan (this is a bain marie or water bath). Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/4 hours or until center is just set (but still wobbly). Carefully remove springform pan from bain marie and cool on a wire rack.
Cover tightly with wrap and refrigerate at least overnight up to 3-4 days.
Before serving, sift the unsweetened cocoa over the top.
Makes 16 servings.
Each serving is about 300 calories, with 26.21 grams of fat (9.48 monounsaturated), 8.91 grams of protein, and 8.29 grams of carbs minus 1.27 grams of fiber, for a net carb count of 7.02 carbs.
NOTE:
If you can't get mascarpone cheese (which is a bit pricey - $8-12 a pound), you *can* use another 8-ounce package of cream cheese or 8 ounces of ricotta. However, mascarpone cheese has a really wonderful taste
that really makes this cheesecake.
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