So, I had the bright idea to try and create a high protein cheesecake (err… preesecake?). Cheesecake isn’t something I’ve made very often (Once, I think?), however, it looked simple enough to create a higher protein version. To get the protein content high, I thought the best thing to use was Quark as a substitute for the cream cheese. I noticed that many recipes online that used quark combined it with soft cheese or Greek yogurt, but I thought I’d have a go with just quark.
I’m lucky enough to have a good supply of Musclefood High Protein Biscuits in the Forest Fruits and Chocolate & Hazelnut varieties which seem to have been discontinued (Per biscuit: 36 kcal, 2.2P, 2.8C, 1.7F). If you can’t get hold of these then I guess some light Digestives, Rich Tea biscuits, protein cookies or even protein crunchies (cereal) could be used as a substitute. Some more inspiration came from a Tasty video that I caught on Facebook claiming to be a recipe for a healthier raspberry cheesecake. In the video they used milk to bind the biscuit crumb base rather than butter.
So, the first step is to get your base sorted. Whilst you’re doing this, pop the oven on at 160C (that’s for a fan, set at 180C for non-fan assisted). I used a small, round tin about 10cm in diameter. To make cheesecake removal a bit easier, I cut some greaseproof paper to cover it. I first cut a long strip about twice the height of the tin. I folded it in half and then snipped along one half. I squirted the tin with 3 squirts of oil to help the paper stick to it then lined the strip around the sides of the tin with the snipped flaps along the bottom. Next I drew around the base of the tin and cut out a circle. This was placed on the bottom of the tin, on top of the cut flaps.
To make the base, I used 2 MF Forest Fruit biscuits. I bashed them with a rolling pin in a bag, added them to a bowl, poured in about 1tsp of milk and 5 squirts of Groovy Food Coconut Oil. Don’t overdo it with the milk, you only need a tiny splash. Adding too much will make the base too sticky and you won’t be able to cover the tin. Once finished, add the crumbs to the tin on top of the greaseproof paper. To crisp the base up I popped it in the oven for 5 minutes whilst getting the filling prepared.
I made two slightly different cheesecakes to start with so split my quark up into two bowls of 100g. In another bowl I beat an egg and added half to each. You’ll need to whisk the egg and quark mixture quite well. It’ll look like it’s curdling to start with, but keep at it and it’ll become quite smooth.
Now you can add whatever you like to the filling. I added about 1/6 of a vanilla pod to each one (scrape the seeds off). Then I added a few drops of white chocolate and vanilla MyProtein flavdrops to one. I added a small scoop of MyProtein Tropical Storm powdered flavoring to the other. Just do this to taste: add a bit, stir it up, taste.
Once you’re happy with the flavor, spoon the quark on top of your biscuit base and level it out to make it as flat as you can. Bake in the centre of the oven for 15 mins.
Let them cool down then place in the fridge overnight. If making in the morning, I guess 6-8 hours would do. You want them to be set so that when you remove them, they come out whole.
The final step is the decoration. I added some cranberry jam to the top of my vanilla one with a few frozen blackcurrants and white chocolate stars. To the Tropical cheesecake I sprinkled a few broken Pineapple fruit crisps, dessicated coconut and a clemantine segment. Keeping with the Christmas time theme!
They were absolutely amazing and tasted almost identical to your usual cheesecake. The one slightly noticeable difference is that the base isn’t as crunchy and buttery, it’s slightly more moist. Leaving out the butter, however, does keep the calorie count a lot lower.
So, here’s the recipe for one basic Cheesecake for a tin 10cm in diameter. which can be adapted with different flavorings and toppings depending on what you’ve got in your cupboard, or what you fancy…
High Protein Baked Cheesecake
Ingredients:
Base
2x MF High Protein Biscuits (Or other biscuits, but the macros will be different)
1tsp semi-skimmed milk (or Almond milk, Coconut milk, etc.)
5 sprays Groovy Food Coconut oil
Filling
100g Quark
1/6 vanilla pod seeds
1/2 whole egg
Some kind of sweetener, flavoring of choice, etc.
Some kind of topping of choice
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 160C (fan assisted). Crush the biscuits with a rolling pin and add to the bowl with the milk and Coconut oil. Mix well, then add to the tin pressing down well. Pop in the oven for 5 minutes.
2. While the base is in the oven, mix the quark with the egg and vanilla pod seeds using a hand whisk. Add any flavors or sweeteners and mix these in well too.
3. When the biscuit base has been removed from the oven, add the quark mixture on top and level out.
4. Bake for 15 mins, leave to cool and then place in the fridge overnight or for 6-8 hours.
5. Remove from the tin when chilled and add your topping of choice.
Macros:
(Not counting the topping)
Calories: 185kcal
Protein: 20.1g
Carbs: 10.4g
Fat: 7g
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