Pomegranate Swirl Cheesecake

The chocolate-peanut butter cups from The Kind Diet were such a hit last week that I decided to make another dessert from Alicia's book. I had a pomegranate hanging out in the fridge, so I got an idea. When I was a teenager, every Christmas I would make a cranberry swirl cheesecake. I used whole berry cranberry sauce, plus a little bit of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to cut the tartness and swirled that mixture into my cheesecake. So decadent! Why not try it with pomegranate? I slightly modified Alicia's recipe for what I had on-hand, and cut back the Earth Balance in the crust a bit to lighten it up a touch.



The result? O.M.G. Outta this world.



Makes 16 servings (or 8. Or 4. Whatever. I'm not judging.)

5 WW pts/serving

For the crust:

1/2 c. Earth Balance buttery spread
2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp cinnamon


For the pomegranate filling:
Fruit of one pomegranate
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 Tbsp cornstarch


For the cheesecake:
1 (12-oz) pkg silken tofu
1 (8-oz) container nondairy cream cheese (I used Tofutti's)
1 Tbsp safflower oil
1/4 c. Splenda
1/4 c. unsweetened almond milk
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a springform pan with cooking spray.


In a small saucepan, melt Earth Balance. Add graham cracker crumbs and cinnamon. Mix with a fork until crumbly. Press graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the springform pan and slightly up the sides. Bake for 5 minutes, then let cool.


Meanwhile, put pomegranate seeds, remaining cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a blender. Puree until smooth. Put mixture into a small saucepan and add cornstarch. Heat over low heat for 1-2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Set aside.


In a large bowl, combine the ingredients for the cheesecake. Using a hand-held immersion blender, blend until smooth. Pour cheesecake batter over crust, using a spatula to smooth out.


Drop pomegranate filling by spoonfuls onto the cheesecake batter. Run a butter knife through the pomegranate filling to create pretty swirls.


Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until lightly golden. After you remove the cheesecake from the oven, place on a wire rack and run a butter knife around the edge of the cheesecake. Allow the cheesecake to cool fully on the wire rack, then place on a cake tray (or plate/platter). Release the springform pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and place cheesecake in refrigerator for at least 2 hours or until ready to serve.