The Aperol Spritz is my second favorite summertime cocktail (Palomas are firmly #1), and since I’m not a big drinker but I am a huge sweet tooth, I decided this cocktail needed to get the cheesecake treatment. Happy to report adding Aperol and Prosecco to a cheesecake is 100% something you need to try. It’s a light, fluffy, citrusy cheesecake that also happens to be adorned with a booze-laden chocolate ganache on top- because go big or go home when you’re trying to send off summer in favor of the best season ever.
Aperol Spritz Cheesecake
Light, citrusy cheesecake on a graham crust topped with Aperol chocolate ganache.
If not gluten free, use any kind of graham cracker crumbs for the crust. Greek yogurt can be replaced with an additional 8 ounces of cream cheese, and Madhava can also be replaced with regular sugar. I have not tested this recipe with any other protein powders, so I recommend a whey-based protein.
Ingredients
CRUST*134 g (~8 sheets Pamela’s gluten free graham crackers
*3 TBS sugar free syrup
*If needed, 1 TBS liquid (water, milk, Aperol, Prosecco, or OJ)
CHEESECAKE FILLING
*224 g (8 ounces) 1/3 the fat cream cheese at room temp
*48 g (1/4 cup) Madhava sweetener
*226 g (1 cup) nonfat Greek yogurt, strained overnight
*60 g (1/2 cup) Quest vanilla milkshake protein powder
*3 ounces Aperol
*2 ounces Prosecco
*1 ounce no pulp orange juice
*1 tsp vanilla extract
*2 large eggs
APEROL GANACHE
*3/4 cup (100 g) Lily’s semisweet chocolate chips
*1/3 cup (82 g) Aperol
*1/3 cup (82 g) OJ
Directions
- Line an 8″ springform pan with Parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Dump the grahams and syrup in a food processor and grind until smooth (if mixture is too thick, add additional TBS of liquid).
- Place crust mix into prepared pan and smooth to the edges (I use cooking spray on my hands to make this easier).
- Bake for 10 minutes until golden; remove to cool while making filling.
- Using a whisk attachment, mix the cream cheese and Madhava sweetener in a stand mixer on medium high for 2-3 minutes until fluffy and smooth.
- Add in the yogurt and protein powder mixing well (it will be thick/chunky).
- Add in Aperol, Prosecco, OJ, and vanilla, and blend until smooth, 2-3 minutes.
- Switch to a paddle attachment, and on low speed, add eggs, one at a time, mixing until smooth.
- Fill a large roasting pan with 4-5 cups of steaming hot water. Wrap your springform pan in several layers of foil and place into a crockpot liner, tying the edge up, to keep your cheesecake from getting any water into it during the water bath.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan, and put the prepared pan into the roasting pan with water.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the sides have set but the center is still jiggly.
- Turn the oven off, leaving the cheesecake inside, and crack the oven door to allow the cheesecake to finish baking for 1 hour.
- Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool to room temp; I like to run a sharp knife around the edges after it is cool.
- Refrigerate cheesecake overnight or place in fridge for 4 hours before removing from springform pan and topping with ganache.
- To make the ganache, bring the OJ and Aperol to a boil in a medium sauce pan.
- Once boiling, reduce to a simmer for 5-8 minutes, until about half the liquid remains.
- Place chocolate chips in a large bowl.
- Immediately pour 1/3 cup (35 grams) of the liquid mixture on top of the chocolate chips.
- Let sit for one minute before stirring until no lumps remain (can also heat on 50% power in the microwave for 15-20 seconds if you still have some lumps).
- This ganache thickens quickly, so add to the top of the cheesecake the moment you are done making, using the back of a spoon or an angled spatula to smooth.
- If desired, decorate the top of the cheesecake with orange slices.
- Keep leftover cheesecake covered in the fridge.
Nutrition
Macros8 servings
282 cal/25.7 c/14.2 f/12.7 p per slice
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