Coffee Cheesecake (Attack phase)

This Coffee Cheesecake is so creamy and delicious you won't believe it's sugar free, fat free and low carb. You can make just one cheesecake, using a 20 cm / 8 inch spring form, or 6 mini cheesecakes, portion size. I'm using sugar free oatbran crumbs for the base: if you can't find them, don't worry, they are very easy to make at home.

Ingredients

ALL ingredients must be room temperature

For the filling

• 6 sheets of unflavoured gelatin or 1 envelope/pouch of unflavoured gelatin powder
• 6 tablespoons of cool water
• 2 heaped teaspoon instant espresso coffee, regular or deccaffeinated
• 2 - 3 teaspoon sweetener: saccharin, stevia, splenda...
• 500 grams / 18 oz fat free quark cheese or fat free greek yogurt.
• 1 raw egg yolk (optional)

For the coffee gelatin topping

• 3 sheets of unflavoured gelatin or 1/2 envelope of unflavoured gelatin powder
• 1 cup water
• 4 heaped teaspoon instant espresso coffee
• 2 - 3 teaspoon sweetener

For the bottom base 

• oatbran crumbs, about 100 grams (mine is homemade, see recipe below)
• 5 tablespoon skim milk
• 1 tablespoon sweetener

Directions

Let's start with the filling

1. Place the gelatin in a small bowl (if you are using sheets, cut them into stripes), add 6 tablespoons of cool water and let soak for 5 minutes. 
2. To dissolve gelatin, microwave on high for 40 seconds and stir or place in a small saucepan over low heat for about 3 minutes, stirring all the time, until completelly dissolved.
3. Add 2 heaped teaspoons instant expresso coffee and 2-3 teaspoons sweetener to the gelatin and mix.
4. Pour the gelatin into a large bowl and let it cool down to room temperature.
5. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of quark cheese (or greek yogurt) to the gelatine and whisk until well incorporated. Now you can add the rest of the cheese.
6. If there's any lump in the mixture, warm it up slightly and stir vigorously until they dissapear.
7. To get a creamier filling, you can add 1 raw egg yolk (this is optional)
8. Pour the filling through a fine mesh strainer, into another bowl and set aside.

Expresso Gellatin Topping

1. Place gelatine in a glass or small bowl, cover with 1/2 cup cool water, let soak for 5 minutes and dissolve (in a small saucepan over low heat or microwaving it for 40 seconds)
2. Add another 1/2 cup cool water, 4 heaped teaspoons instant espresso coffee and 2-3 teaspoon sweetener and mix.
3. Set aside.

Assembling the layers

1. Mix the oatbran crumbles, milk and sweetener to make the base. Press crumb mixture onto the bottom of a 20 cm / 8 inch spring form (or into dessert glasses or ramekins if you are making portion size cheesecakes)
2. Pour the filling over the base. You'll need to chill it until set before adding the espresso gelatin topping: it will be quickier if take your cake to the freezer: 10 minutes for portion size mini cheesecakes or 30 minutes for a 8 inch cake. 
3. Once your filling is set you can cover it with the espresso gelatin and let your cake (or cakes) to set in the fridge. 

Enjoy!

Homemade oatbran crumbs

1. Combine 3 tablespoons oatbran, 2 tablespoons skim powdered milk, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of sea salt or kosher salt.
2. Add 2 egg whites, raw or pasteurized and mix everything together
3. Pour this mixture onto a  20 cm / 8 inch silicone mold or over parchment paper and bake on a preheated oven at 200 C / 400 F for 8 to 10 minutes, until you get a big, golden brown, oatbran cookie.
4. Let it cool down and crumble it with your hands or using a food processor (and remember, you want oatbran crumbs, not oatbran powder, don't make them too small)

To save time and effort, you can make 3 or 4 of this oatbran cookies at a time, crumble them and freeze in separate small plastic bags, This way you'll have oatbran crumbs anytime you need them. Just take a bag out of the freezer and wait for 5 to 10 minutes and they will be ready to go.