Light-and-Fluffy Coconut Cheesecake

Photo: Harpie

Ingredients

1/2 box Nilla Wafers

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

2 1/2 pounds (5 blocks) low-fat or nonfat cream cheese/Neufchâtel, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup light sour cream

1 can (15 oz.) cream of coconut

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease the bottoms and sides of a 10-inch springform pan.

For crust: In a food processor, crush wafers together with coconut into coarse crumbs. Mix crumbs and butter together in a medium mixing bowl until completely incorporated. Press mixture into the bottom of the springform pan until covered evenly.

For filling: In a mixer beat the cream cheese until creamy. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides of the mixing bowl to ensure consistency. Mix in sour cream and cream of coconut.

Pour filling over cookie crust and shake sides of pan gently to even out. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for about an hour, or until the edges are lightly browned but the middle is not completely set. Remove from oven and set on wire rack to cool about a half-hour. Once cooled, run a knife around the inside to loosen the edges. Remove outer rim of pan and refrigerate the cheesecake at least two hours before serving.