Cheesecake Bites

Not too sweet, rich and creamy dessert. There’s added sugar … less than 4 tablespoons for the entire 16 bars. Swerve (a sugar substitute) can easily be used in place of the two tablespoons of white sugar. It seems I can taste a sweetener no matter how good. (Yes, even in See’s Candies no sugar chocolates.) So, I opted in for the less than one teaspoon of real sugar per square instead. The recipe still remains an excellent ketogenic diet dessert. The crust is nuts! Walnuts to be exact but pecans work equally well. You have to like nuts to appreciate this recipe. Pistachios are another choice.

Great Grandma Gindes said my New York cheesecake was almost as good as hers! A compliment like that I’ll take any day! If she was here today I believe she’d say these are equally delicious.

Recipe

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. (This will be lowered to 350 degrees in the latter part of the recipe.)
Butter an 8 inch square baking dish.
Makes 16 Squares.

Crust

6 Tablespoons cold butter
3 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons almond flour
3/4 Cup finely ground walnuts
1/4 Cup roughly chopped walnuts
1 1/2 Tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
Pinch of salt

Cut the butter into the mixed dry ingredients until crumbly. Press into the buttered baking dish and bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees until lightly brown. It might look bubbly after baking but this will solidify upon cooling. Cool slightly before adding filling.

Filling

8 Ounces cream cheese-room temperature
1 Large egg
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons cream or half & half
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 Teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 Teaspoon best vanilla
Pinch of salt

Place all ingredients in a bowl and beat until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly on top of cooled crust.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until set.

Cool and refrigerate for easier slicing.

Refrigerate leftovers.